Jukebox Drabbles
by Silver Flame Alchemist
Summary: It was a day just like any other. And then he walked into your life and changed everything. - Song-inspired One-Shots. Reader/Various. Separate summaries inside. -
1. Arachnitect

_And so it begins..._

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><p><em><strong>Summary:<strong> _There was something in his tone that made you want to agree, even though you weren't sure what it is you'd just been asked to do, and you looked back at him curiously. His expression was still calm, but there was something in his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Alright then." You whispered.

**_Pairing: _**Claude Faustus/Reader

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><p><em>Silky architect, for insect possession.<br>A confection collection!  
>And when a prize flies into your web,<br>You're grinning while spinning its dizzy death…_

You twirled in time to the music, letting yourself be lead around the room by the boy you were dancing with, not missing the way his gaze continued to stray away from your face and onto someone on the other side of the room from you.

"Am I so very boring that you need to look for amusement somewhere else, Master Trancy?" You asked coyly, smirking at him.

He turned those unnaturally bright azure eyes onto you, smirking right back. "Oh, no, no! I assure you that you're _quite_ fascinating in your own right, my dear… I just want to make sure I know where everyone is, should anything untoward happen."

You arched an elegant eyebrow and feigned surprise. "And what would lead you to suspect such a thing?"

He winked. "Well, when one keeps the company of so many… Unsavory characters…" He trailed off, and you grinned at his implied meaning.

"Well then, how considerate of you to keep an eye out for us." You replied, curtsying deeply as the song came to a close and he pulled away from you.

He smiled sweetly and winked. "Who said I was doing it for _everyone_?"

You managed to swallow your laugh and blushed lightly on cue, making your way over to the side of the room and through the door out onto the balcony, deciding air was in order after that particular ordeal.

_Sneaky, scary, wily, wary,  
>Looming from your woven looms.<br>Eyes a' beady, mouth a' greedy,  
>Poisoning within your ring…<em>

You tilted your face back to look at the sky, breathing in the cool air of fall, enjoying the way the crisp breeze trailed over your bare skin and made you shiver slightly. It was a pity you had to stay inside for the ball… You would have happily danced out here in the moonlight if you had been given the chance.

You felt a hand land lightly on your lower back and jumped slightly, turning to look at the intruder, a rebuke on your tongue, but you stopped when you saw who it was.

Calm golden eyes looked at you with curiosity as Claude kept his hand on your back, the other tucked behind him. "I'm afraid you might get cold if you remain out here any longer, Madam…" He said softly, inclining his head just a little.

You blinked at him, smiling slightly. "I actually quite like this weather, but I thank you for your concern." Assuming that would be the end of it, you turned to look back out over the moonlit landscape, and shivered for an entirely different reason when warm breath swept past your ear.

"Really, Madam, I _must_ insist."

There was something in his tone that made you want to agree, even though you weren't sure what it is you'd just been asked to do, and you looked back at him curiously.

His expression was still calm, but there was something in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

"Alright then." You whispered.

_Leggies tickle, fangies trickle,  
>Stirring in alluring lace.<br>Spin your shroudie, bundle proudly,  
>Trapping and a' wrapping prey.<em>

You shuddered as fingers flitted over your skin, paying special attention to every place that made you sigh softly into his shoulder. Teeth that were entirely too cold and lips that were entirely too warm traced over the places the fingers hadn't reached, and you felt like melting as the attention continued.

You struggled to make noise, but the whisper he'd pressed to your lips when you entered the dark room always resurfaced to the forefront of your mind, and you found yourself incapable of any sound other than the encouraging sighs that kept his fingers fluttering over certain sensitive patches of skin.

"You will forgive me, Madam," another hot whisper brushed past your ear, "but I find myself incapable of allowing you to return to the party…"

And you found that you could forgive him, because who could possibly find a _party_ better than _this_?

_Little palace of your malice,  
>Filigree of treachery.<br>Callous rapture in your capture,  
>Viciousness! Deliciousness!<em>

Hallways and doorways were navigated in the dark, and hands continued to cling as you two found your way deeper into the mansion's interior, searching for a place you could be alone from prying eyes and curious party-goers who found themselves lost in the unfamiliar territory.

Claude directed you by the waist, hands holding firmly while he let his mouth keep you distracted from the world whirling past. You hardly had time to breathe, let alone think, and you found it to be a welcome distraction.

A door clicked shut behind you with finality, and you looked up into shining golden eyes.

"I think you'll find you are quite capable of complimenting or critiquing my technique as you see fit now."

You tried your voice, able to manage a soft query. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere no one is going to bother us, Madam."

_Silky architect, for insect possession.  
>A confection collection!<br>And when a prize flies into your web,  
>You're grinning while spinning its dizzy death…<em>

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><p><em>Love this song to <em>bits_. If you haven't heard it, you might wanna look it up, but that's entirely up to you. ^_^_

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><p><em>The song <em>"Arachnitect" _belongs to: _Kristen Lawrence

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	2. Lollipop

_**Summary: **_You blinked twice, returned your gaze to his, and asked flatly, "you dripped ice cream on me?"  
>"Not intentionally." Was his simple answer.<p>

_**Pairing:** _L Lawliet/Reader

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><p><em>Lollipop, lollipop,<br>Oh lolly, lolly, lolly,  
>Lollipop, lollipop,<br>Oh lolly, lolly…_

You sat on the sofa with a huff, waiting for Matsuda to come get you from the lobby and take you home. As much as you hated to admit it, the goof was your cousin and therefore in charge of keeping an eye on you while you were here for the investigation.

It was just some routine questions that you'd had to answer, but already you were tired and really all you wanted to do was go home and sleep. You yawned softly, not to fall asleep where you sat, and folded your arms in an attempt to keep yourself uncomfortable enough to stay awake.

A commotion over by the elevator made you look up, and Matsuda came over to you, his signature apologetic smile in place.

"Let me guess," you began, standing to look him in the eye, "you just got another lead?"

He nodded. "Sorry, but here," he handed over his pass card, "you can wait for me upstairs… It's more comfortable then down here."

You sighed softly, taking the card from him and smiling. "Just come back quick, okay, I don't wanna be here all night."

He grinned and clapped you on the shoulder. "I'll try not to be too long."

You waved him out the door and then headed over to the elevator, swiping his card and then pressing the right button and yawning again as the door slipped closed. You hoped you'd be able to catch a night upstairs without anyone caring…

_Call my baby Lollipop,  
>Tell ya' why,<br>His kisses sweeter than an apple pie…_

The elevator ding cheerily and released you into the SPK's main room, a glittering array of screens covering one wall and the furniture all turned slightly so that any number of people could watch what was happening at the same time.

You tentatively stepped further into the room, gaze darting around the large room as you searched for any movement. You weren't sure whether all of the members had left with Matsuda, or if it had just been him and Mogi who'd gone to do a routine check on their own.

But as you moved through the room, growing closer to the nearest couch, you decided you must be alone up here with only the furniture and screens as company.

You sighed as you sat on the couch, double-checking that you were alone before you grabbed the two pillows on the couch and bunched them together under your head, throwing your coat over you and closing your eyes.

Your breathing evened out quickly, and as you started to drift off, you thought you heard something shuffle closer, but ignored it in favor of your much-needed nap.

But then something cold landed on your cheek and you started awake. You opened your eyes in time to see a mass of raven locks descending towards your face, and then felt something warm and wet run over your cheek where the cold substance had been only moments ago.

You threw a rabbit punch into what you had finally identified as a stomach and made a mad dash over the back of the sofa for the elevator.

_Sweeter than candy on a stick,  
>Huckleberry, cherry, or lime.<br>If you had a choice he'd be your pick,  
>But Lollipop is mine…<em>

You'd made it to the elevator before you realized you didn't have Matsuda's pass card and therefore couldn't make your escape, but at roughly that same time a warm hand closed over your shoulder and turned you around.

"I apologize for startling you," the soft voice was only a little short of breath from the punch you'd delivered, "but I couldn't let it go to waste."

You were about to ask what he meant when you spotted the ice cream sundae in his hand and snapped your mouth shut. You blinked twice, returned your gaze to his, and asked flatly, "you dripped ice cream on me?"

"Not intentionally." Was his simple answer. "But since we are asking questions, may I enquire as to who you are?" The hand on your shoulder left its perch in favor of picking up the spoon in his sundae with two fingers and taking it for a quick trip to his mouth.

"I'm… I'm Matsuda's cousin." You replied, confused as to why watching him eat ice cream was so fascinating. "He said I could come up and wait here until he gets back."

He blinked dark eyes at you and nodded once. "I see, well then… Would you care to join me?"

You blinked. "Join you?"

"In cleaning out the kitchen. I am a connoisseur of confections and my store is wearing thin. I had planned to take the time the others are gone to finish it off so that I may start anew."

You stared at him as he shuffled off back the way he had come, heading towards what appeared to be a kitchen at one end of the room. "Oh…"

"You don't have to, if you would prefer not to…" He gave you a look that made your heart skip a few beats without knowing why. "But as I said, I cannot let it go to waste."

You blinked again, and then tentatively followed him, deciding it might be fun to see this _connoisseur of confections_ in action…

_Crazy way he thrills me, tell ya' why,  
>He's like lightning from the sky.<br>He loves to kiss me till I can't see straight;  
>Jee my Lollipop is great…<em>

You sat across the low table from him, trying not to laugh as you observed him pluck cherries systematically off the dessert before him and pop them into his mouth. It was odd to think that you were currently devouring a fest of sugar with the world's greatest detective.

You occupied yourself with a quarter-pint of ice cream, and attempted to scrape the last vestiges of the delicious half-liquid off the bottom of the carton and onto your spoon.

Thus far, you weren't having much luck.

You decided that some battles need not be fought, and moved on to the next item on the list. A positively _massive_ swirled lollipop. "Do you really eat sweets like this all the time?" You asked suddenly, remembering something Matsuda had mentioned at one time. "It seems like it would be kinda unhealthy."

He blinked over the top of his frosted milkshake at you, and smiled slightly. "Are you saying you are concerned with my health?"

You gave him a flat look and set about licking the lollipop into submission.

"It is not unhealthy for someone like me, who has a very high metabolism. If, say, Matsuda were to attempt a diet such as mine, the effects would not be as beneficial."

You instantly imagined Matsuda chugging down a very large milkshake and giggled against your lollipop.

L, as he had finally introduced himself, looked over at you again, inspecting you closely as he slurped the last of his milkshake out of the glass. "That appears to be quite the challenge you have taken on… Would you like some assistance?"

You blinked, unsure of his meaning but nodding all the same. The sooner you finished off this lollipop the sooner you could… Your train of thought was instantly derailed when he slipped from one chair into another and leaned in close enough to run his long tongue against the side of the lollipop facing him.

Well then.

You attempted to hide your blush behind the lollipop's rather expansive surface, but you knew you were unsuccessful by the way his lips twitched upwards at the corners again.

This time, instead of licking the flat surface on his side of the lollipop, he set his tongue to trailing along the edge and brushing feather-light against your cheek.

You jerked away instantly, and he put his thumb to his bottom lip. "I apologize. I thought you wanted my assistance in defeating this particular sugary foe."

And just like that, you couldn't help yourself any longer. You leant forward and licked from his chin to the corner of his lips, lingering there for a moment before pulling away. "I apologize," you mimicked softly, a grin pulling at your mouth, "but you had a little spot of something and I just couldn't let it go to waste."

His eyes flashed suddenly brighter, seeming intrigued, and he stood. "Would you care to join me? All of this sugar has made me suddenly quite drowsy…" He trailed off again and you saw the way his lips quirked upwards in an almost-smirk.

"I think I will." You replied, carefully handling the lollipop so that it wouldn't brush against anything. "As long as you promise to help me finish this."

"I wouldn't dream of letting it go to waste." He replied softly.

_Lollipop, lollipop,  
>Oh lolly, lolly, lolly,<br>Lollipop, lollipop,  
>Oh lolly, lolly…<em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Lollipop"_ belongs to: _The Chordettes

Death Note and its related characters _belong to:_ Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata


	3. Goodbye

**_Summery_:** But it wasn't enough to know that… It was never enough to see the look of apologetic regret he would give you as he slipped away again, back to the society and social circles that would never permit you two to be together.

**_Pairing:_** Ciel Phantomhive/Reader

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><p><em>I'm everything you know<em>  
><em>You wonder friend or foe<em>  
><em>I'm the burning in your throat when you swallow<em>

You felt a rush of adrenaline as you were pulled down the hall by the hand clutched tightly around yours, a grin spilling over your face before you could stop it. _This_ was what you had been waiting for… These moments the two of you stole in between meetings and parties…

The moments you knew he was yours and yours alone.

_Bur then you spit me out,_  
><em>Your stomach full of doubt,<em>  
><em>And still you're faking every word out of your mouth.<em>

You knew from the beginning that it would never be able to last. He had a fiancé; you had an estate that your father had left you. There were always complications that you knew would never be overcome unless you both really wanted it.

And as much as you wanted it, you knew he would never leave Lizzy. Not now.

So you spent those moments in delight and delicious knowledge that you were breaking the rules, but as soon as it was over, he was pulling his appearance back together as though nothing had happened, and leaving you alone in his bed.

_But you won't let go_  
><em>It's all about control<em>  
><em>Understand I'm born to lead you will follow<em>

The more stress he was under, the more often he asked you over for tea, the more times you accidentally stayed too late and were invited to spend the night, the more time you two shared together, tucked away in his room and pretending as though the rest of the world didn't exist.

You loved those days. Loved the way his eyes would trail over your face, taking in every little detail, loved the way his hands would lose themselves in the sheets around you and arrive on your skin in gentle caresses. You loved seeming him so at ease with you when he never let anyone in this close.

You loved him.

But you hated the way his features would contort into guilt when he realized what he'd done. When the realization that he'd fallen _again_, and there was no denying he cared about you, liked you, even, because you were the only woman he ever wanted in his bed.

But it wasn't enough to know that… It was never enough to see the look of apologetic regret he would give you as he slipped away again, back to the society and social circles that would never permit you two to be together.

_Now I don't wanna stay  
>I'm running away,<em>  
><em>Don't you hear me when I say; Goodbye, so long, nice try, I'm gone.<em>

You felt so sorry to see the town house drift into the distance as you moved off into the night and put the young earl behind you. You needed time and a place to think, and your estate in the country gave you both.

So you'd vanished off and told his butler to give him the letter you'd written weeks in advance in the morning with his breakfast, and you hoped everything would just turn out alright.

Because as much as you loved him, and as much as it killed you to leave, you knew it was the right thing to do.

_I won't forget the way you made me feel,_  
><em>I won't regret running away from here.<em>

You wrote him letters while you were away.

Letters that told of how you felt, how you wished you could have told him sooner, told him to his face how much you cared. Letters that would have put authors to shame with their eloquence and beauty, detailing every moment you'd noticed something about him that everyone else had missed.

Letters that you left in a box he'd given you for your birthday.

Letters that you could never bring yourself to send, because you should have told him to his face; and pieces of paper, eloquent or not, were far too little, much too late.

You kept up with him in the papers, and laughed every time he pulled off a particularly stunning exploit.

You cringed every time he sent you an invitation to a ball or party, and you cried when you handwrote the replies that told him kindly and cordially no.

_Now it's there to see_  
><em>You've forgotten me<em>  
><em>Ever since I was the prince among the thieves.<em>

You stayed away for three months, shutting yourself off from the world and only sending out for things by way of your servants, letting them tackle society in your stead, because you still didn't want to think about what the approaching season would mean.

You received another invitation, this time to a masquerade ball, and you finally caved and replied with a very straightforward yes, and told him that you would be leaving your estate directly, hoping that he'd understand, and meet you there…

But when you arrived, ushered into your house by a maid who cursed the London weather, you found only his butler, who was looking almost smug as he handed you a letter and told you that his master was sorry, but he had had a previous engagement.

You took the letter with a smile painted on with care, and told him that it was really quite terrible that you hadn't been able to see the young earl as well.

You didn't read the letter. You put it into the box with the missives of your own, and pretended like it didn't exist. You didn't want his excuses or apologies. You just wanted to feel his hand holding yours again.

_So you hold me down_  
><em>Strip away my crown<em>  
><em>Can't contain me knowing all the truth I've found.<em>

You held your chin high as you entered the ball that evening, hoping against all hopes that midnight would find you in a shadowy hall with your lips preoccupied. But as you slipped in, unannounced, you realized that was unlikely.

The hall was full of bejeweled ladies, all tittering behind their fans as they watched the young earl make his way around the room, cordiality incarnate as he spoke to the more important figures in the room, and nodded in passing to those he was less well acquainted with.

His eyes never landed on yours, although he must have recognized you despite your mask, and you felt your heart shatter as he flirted and flitted through the crowd.

You huffed out an annoyed breath, determined to make him feel much the same, and purposefully walked into him on your way to get punch. You apologized profusely, whisking yourself off again before he ever had the chance to whisper to you, and flirted your way across the room.

You caught him looking at you after that, and you couldn't help but smile. There was jealousy in his gaze.

_Always thinking small_  
><em>Helping me to fall<em>  
><em>Now your jealousy and hate consumes us all.<em>

You tried not to yelp as a hand closed over yours in a familiarly tight grip and tugged you away down a dark hall. Your heart started to pound as his footsteps sounded solidly against the floor and the music from the ball started to drift into the distance.

You stuttered out some half-hearted objection before he dragged you both through a doorway and claimed your mouth with his own.

You could feel the anger in him as he held you close. His grip was possessive, and you felt chills course down your spine at the thought that he'd become jealous because of your game. Because you'd dared to try and win some other man's favor.

You reminded him that this was his party. That he would be missed.

He reminded you that he was doing this for you, and you decided not to argue that point. You let him pull and tug and curse your corset strings, because you'd missed him as much as he had missed you, and you needed to know that he cared.

And as he whispered into your ear that he would be expecting you to stay the night, you knew he did.

_You think you've see the world, but you've see nothing._  
><em>Time is only going to make it worse in the end, so I'll say goodbye again.<em>

You found him in his study with your box on the desk before him, the letters in his hands. He looked at you with an expression you'd never seen before, and you felt yourself fall all over again.

He asked if you'd read his letter and you simply shook your head.

You'd forgotten it was sitting in there, keeping the others company, and when you saw the sadness enter his eyes, you realized you never should have left it unopened.

You started to apologize, but he stopped you before you could, instead handing you the letter and walking out.

You started to cry before you even opened it, and you sobbed once you'd finished it off.

_Don't hit me with your fears_  
><em>I don't fit with your ideas<em>  
><em>You've missed what I'm about, I earned my way out.<em>

He'd left Lizzy.

He'd turned his back on society's good thoughts of him in order to ask you to marry him, and you realized that all that flirting last night had been his attempt to make people believe he'd left Elizabeth in order to find a new fiancé; not pick his paramour as his wife.

You realized that when you'd flirted with the others, he thought you'd read the letter and turned your back on him.

And that explained why he was so jealous and angry and _oh_.

You ran after him. You ran until you found him and threw yourself into his arms, because this was what you'd wanted, right here.

He chuckled and asked you if that was a _yes_.

You told him it most certainly was.

_And in the end, I'll say goodbye again._

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><p><em>Style points to moi for writing this without a single line of dialogue!<em>

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><p><em>The song "<em>Goodbye" _belongs to: _SR-71

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	4. Jar of Hearts

_Been wanting to do this one for a while... Glad I finally got the chance._

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><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_But they were just memories now. Just ghosts that still haunted your dreams and people you thought you knew as you wandered idly through the woods or the village. Scents you caught on the wind that were so familiar, but not from the sources you hoped they would be from. They were gone, and you felt it in your being every day that you had to live without them.

_**Pairing: **_Sesshomaru/Reader

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><p><em>And who do you think you are?<br>Runnin' 'round leaving scars,  
>Collecting your jar of hearts,<br>And tearing love apart…_

You sat on the front steps of your house and watched the wind flit through the trees, singing softly of better times and sweeter memories. There had been a lot of those in your life. More laughter than tears, more joy than sorrow… More love than hate.

You tried to remember those times as you watched the autumn leaves start to tear away from the branches that housed them, spinning off into the distance and vanishing into the woods. Something about this season always made you feel a little sad, as though a part of you died along with the leaves that surrounded you…

You were just standing up, ready to head inside, when something inside you went cold as you smelled it… The tang of an approaching storm on the wind.

He'd…

You stopped yourself before you could start to really reminisce, reminding yourself that it was over between you. He'd told you that.

But you didn't want to believe him.

_No, I can't take one more step towards you  
>'Cause all that's waiting is regret<br>Don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore  
>You lost the love I loved the most…<em>

You swore you started to see him now and then, from the corner of your eye, just out of sight and then completely gone when you turned to look properly.

You heard a girl giggle, and instantly assumed it was his adorable little ward, running to hug you.

You heard a high-pitched squawk, and giggled, because that little Imp had sounded _just_ like that, the first time you'd met…

But they were just memories now. Just ghosts that still haunted your dreams and people you thought you knew as you wandered idly through the woods or the village.

Scents you caught on the wind that were so familiar, but not from the sources you hoped they would be from.

They were gone, and you felt it in your being every day that you had to live without them.

_I hear you're asking all around  
>If I am anywhere to be found<br>But I have grown too strong  
>To ever fall back in your arms…<em>

You tried not to think about how alike Inuyasha was to his elder brother, and when the Hanyō came to visit you, you were cordial and kind, and always made sure that he knew he was welcome.

Sesshomaru may have left, but you refused to make his younger brother unwelcome because of his callous actions.

And you could tell it meant something to him, because he showed up more and more frequently, and always with some story about why he was there, as though coming for a visit was a sign of weakness.

"He asks about you, sometimes." Inuyasha mumbled one night at dinner.

You looked up from your meal with raised eyebrows. "Who does?"

"Sesshomaru," he whispered the name, as though speaking it normally might cause you physical harm, "whenever we run into each other, he asks how you're doing. I guess he can smell you on me, or something, cause he always knows when I've seen you." He frowned at that, as though his comings and goings to your house should be more privileged information.

You put on your bravest smile and returned to your meal, trying to act nonchalant. "Really? And what do you tell him?"

He cracked a grin, and you found it contagious. "I tell him you're better off without him. He always tries to stick me for that. I don't let him."

You managed a soft laugh, and Inuyasha managed to look less uncomfortable for the rest of his stay, but you wished you could send him a message.

You wished you could tell him how you really felt.

_You're gonna catch a cold  
>From the ice inside your soul<br>So don't come back for me  
>Who do you think you are?<em>

You moved on.

You worked and trained, and put your mind to better use than fretting and regretting. You learned things you'd never known before, and widened your repertoire.

You learned how to cure poisons and bind wounds, how to _help_ people.

People who'd been wounded.

You never failed to see the beautiful irony in that.

But one day in the woods, that giggle filled the air, and this time it wasn't your imagination.

Rin was running towards you full-tilt and you had to pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming, because _that wasn't supposed to happen_.

"I'm so glad I found you!" She gushed as she sat next to you and just stared up at your face. "I've been looking for you for a few days, and I was worried I'd gotten off course, but I must not have, because you're here!" She giggled and then sighed. "I just wanted to come see you, because Lord Sesshomaru says we won't be coming to see you again for a long time, and I missed you!"

You felt your heart flutter at the sound of his name, and mentally kicked yourself for it. "Well I'm glad you came, Rin, I've missed you too."

"Really?" She asked, as though it was the last thing in the world she'd been expecting from you.

"Really." You replied with a smile. "But you'd better be getting back. Lord Sesshomaru will be worried if he realizes you've run off on your own."

She nodded, hopping up to her feet and giving you another tight hug and a dazzling smile. "I'll see you again soon, won't I?"

You tried to be as brave as you replied, giving her your brightest smile. "I'm sure you will."

She dashed off the way she'd come, waving over her shoulder at you, and you hated to see her go.

_Dear, It took so long just to feel alright  
>Remember how to put back the light in my eyes<br>I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed  
>'Cause you broke all your promises…<br>And now you're back  
>You don't get to get me back…<em>

You nearly screamed when you slipped back into your house and saw him sitting on your floor as though he'd never left.

His armor and fur wrap were sitting casually by the door next to his shoes, and he looked at you in a mildly surprised way, as though _you_ were the one who was interrupting _his_ peaceful evening.

You didn't know what to do. You didn't know what to say.

What _could_ you say?

The man you'd loved, _did_ love if you were being honest with yourself, was sitting in your house and all you could do was stare at him with wide eyes because he shouldn't have been here.

"Did Rin find you?" He asked suddenly, jarring you out of your thoughts.

"Yes." You replied shortly, finally managing to make it all the way through the doorway and into your house, trying not to stare at him. "Did you know that was where she was headed?"

"I had my suspicions. She has always been quite fond of you, after all." His eyes stayed on you as you set down your basket and sat across from him, trying not to fidget.

"You let her come anyway…" It wasn't really a question, but he answered all the same.

"It was better, this way."

"Better for whom, Sesshomaru?" Your voice wavered slightly on the last word, and you cursed yourself for it. You were better than this.

"For Rin," he replied, ignoring the tremor in your voice, "letting her break a few choice rules is better than having her rebel completely."

You felt your hands clench involuntarily, and tried to keep your voice even. "Then why are you here?"

"I came to see you."

"Why?"

He didn't reply as promptly, this time, and you felt yourself shrink under the scrutiny of his vibrant golden eyes, his voice drifting softly across the space between you only moments later.

"I am not sure."

You stood, moving to the back door and sliding it open. "Then perhaps you should go figure that out somewhere else." You wanted him gone.

You wanted his scent out of your nostrils, his voice out of your ears, his image out of your mind. You wanted to stop seeing his lips move with every eloquently spoken word, you wanted to stop thinking of how those same lips had felt being pressed to your own.

He stood, moving over to you, and paused before he took the invitation to leave. "You must allow me to…"

You cut him off with an annoyed growl, slamming a fist against his un-armored chest. "Who do you think you _are_?" You demanded. "You can't tell a woman goodbye and then sneak into her house to say _I don't know why I'm here but here I am_. You can't _do that_, Sesshomaru!"

"Why not?" His tone was mildly surprised. "They are my thoughts that are muddled, may I not choose where I sort through them?"

"_No._" You said firmly. "Because they're _my_ feelings you're messing with and _my_ house you're sneaking into! And will you stop looking at me like that?" You huffed after this last, looking away from him as his gaze continued to inspect you and pull you apart.

"How should I look at you, then? I am unaccustomed to looking at people I care for."

You snapped your head back up. "People you _what_?" You asked.

"People I care for," he repeated softly, "you asked me who I thought I was. I think I am someone who is very sorry for hurting you as I did, and _that_ is why I came here tonight, because I wished to tell you that. Clearly you do not wish to hear such things from me…" He trailed off, gaze finally faltering and sliding away from you to inspect the floor. "I should not have bothered you."

He moved past you, out of the door and into the darkening night, but you caught his arm before he could vanish again entirely, and pulled him right round and into a kiss.

He responded instantly, guiding you both back into the safety of your house before pulling away and looking at you in genuine surprise.

"Consider that my way of saying I forgive you." You managed after a moment. "But if you ever leave again, I will sick Inuyasha and his pals on you."

He chuckled softly, pulling you a little closer. "It would be quite entertaining to see their efforts, but I assure you that won't be necessary… I will not be leaving you again."

You smiled and pulled him into another long kiss, letting all the memories finally come pouring back. "Good… Because you'd certainly be missing out."

"I would be, wouldn't I…?" He let his gaze roam over your features again, and this time you didn't mind the attention. "Might I stay with you tonight, then, so as to avoid missing out as much as possible?"

You laughed, and nodded once. "You might…"

_Who do you think you are…?_

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><p><em>I apologize if he gets a little out of character there at the end. That's just the way it is.<em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Jar of Hearts" _belongs to: _Christina Perri

Inuyasha and its related characters _belong to: _Rumiko Takahashi


	5. Lonely At The Top

_This song just suits him so well. XD_

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><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_Seto slipped out of the room, growling low in his throat as the door closed behind him. As if the smiling and the bowing and the scraping hadn't been enough, the girls who threw themselves at him… He shivered at the thought. It wasn't until a giggle drifted out of the shadows to him that he noticed you sitting by the window. "Not your cup of tea, huh?"

_**Pairing:**_Seto Kaiba/Reader

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><p><em>Oh, it's lonely at the top…<em>

Seto sat up from his desk with a jerk, running a hand over his face as he batted away sleep and tried to pull himself back together. He yawned into his sleeve and ran a hand through his hair, looking at his computer screen in an attempt to remember what he'd been working on before he'd fallen asleep.

A partially-written announcement popped up on his screen when he gently rattled the mouse that had been by his elbow, and he had to squint in order to concentrate enough to read it.

His head hurt with all this work he'd been doing. It was the weekend, and he'd literally passed out from exhaustion last night and collapsed onto his desk.

He needed a break, but he knew he couldn't just up and leave… Mokuba wasn't ready to take care of the company on his own yet, and Seto wasn't about to just dump all of this onto his shoulders so that he could run off and _breathe_ for once.

He leant back in his chair, closing his eyes again as he sighed to himself and wished he could leave.

But then his eyes flew open and he sat back up to look at what he'd been writing earlier, rereading it and feeling his heart sink.

He had a gala coming up tomorrow night, and he'd completely forgotten about it until just then. He let out a groan and slumped back over his desk.

Some days, he hated being Seto Kaiba.

_I've been around the world  
>Had my pick of any girl<br>You'd think I'd be happy  
>But I'm not…<em>

Seto slipped out of the room, growling low in his throat as the door closed behind him. As if the smiling and the bowing and the scraping hadn't been enough, the girls who threw themselves at him… He shivered at the thought.

It wasn't until a giggle drifted out of the shadows to him that he noticed you sitting by the window.

"Not your cup of tea, huh?" You asked softly, smiling across the room at him.

"Not really." He replied softly. He continued to watch you as you sat there and watched him right back. "Sorry, but I don't recognize you…"

"Oh, well, you wouldn't." You replied, your smile never failing. "Most high-and-mighty business men never notice the commoners amongst their guests."

He blinked. "You hardly look like a commoner."

You laughed, looking down at your evening dress and shrugging. "I suppose I don't, do I? But I assure you I am."

"If you're a commoner, then how did you get in?"

"Mokuba invited me," you replied, "He said that you could use a dose of reality in with the rest of those people."

Kaiba actually smirked. "Well he got that right…" He paused. "But if you're supposed to be a dose of sanity, then why are you hiding in here?"

You giggled again, standing up and moving across the room to him. "Because even doses of sanity need a chance to catch their breath every now and then."

He caught your arm before you could slip out the door and back into the party, and looked at you hard for a moment before the words came tumbling out of his mouth. "Stay with me tonight."

You stared at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"In there," he nodded towards the door, "stay within arm's reach."

"Why?"

"Because you're the first woman to ever try and leave a room I am in while we're alone together." He said with a slight smile. "And quite frankly, I'm rather intrigued by it."

You smiled back at him, slipping your arm through his and linking your elbows together. "Let's go smile and nod at the masses."

_Everybody knows my name  
>But it's just a crazy game<br>Oh, it's lonely at the top…_

You stayed on Seto's arm for the rest of the night, smiling brightly but keeping your mouth shut. You went mostly unnoticed unless you were being glared at by the mothers of hopeful young girls, but Seto kept you close, and every once in a while he would give you a certain look, and you'd quickly drag him away with a soft whisper into his ear.

Mokuba ran interference for you as often as he could, and you two would take breaks on the balcony or in side-rooms that dotted the perimeter of the main room.

You would talk about the people you'd observed as they breezed over you, and managed to make him laugh as he slumped into chairs or leant against the banister, always with a tired shake of his head because these were the people he spent his life around.

"I should keep you around more often." He muttered softly, drinking in deep breaths of fresh air. "You really are a welcome dose of sanity."

You smiled, strangely pleased with that comment, and tilted your head off to the side. "Is that a hint, Mr. Kaiba?"

He chuckled softly. "It might just be."

_Listen to the band, they're playing just for me  
>Listen to the people paying just for me<br>All the applause- all the parades  
>And all the money I have made<br>Oh, it's lonely at the top…_

You jumped when Seto's hand landed lightly on your lower back and a soft whisper brushed past your ear. "Dance with me."

"_What_?"

"Dance with me," he repeated with a chuckle, "I won't let my little slip of sanity slip away."

You gave him a look from the corner of your eye as he led you out onto the dance floor. "I agreed to stay next to you, Seto, I did not agree to be your dance partner for the evening!"

He smiled ever so slightly as the music began. "And yet I don't see you running away." He pointed out softly, leading you into a waltz.

You stuck your tongue out at him slightly, but followed all the same, slightly surprised with how well he danced.

A strange sort of sensation started creeping down your spine as he guided you easily around the room, and you suddenly realized why you felt so uncomfortable.

You were being stared at.

"Seto…"

"Ignore them." He replied before you had a chance to voice your complaint further. "They're staring at me, not you. Remember that."

You gave him a flat look. "It's hard to forget, here in your world."

His eyebrows rose up his forehead. "You think this is my world?" He shook his head almost imperceptibly. "This is hardly _my world_. This is merely the world I've been pressed into."

You smirked. "What, are you saying you don't enjoy all the attention? All the applause and praise?"

"I'd trade in all the money I've made for a day of life out of this cage."

You raised an eyebrow at him. "You really hate it that much?"

"Yes."

_Listen all you fools out there  
>Go on and love me- I don't care<br>Oh, it's lonely at the top…_

Girls made gooey eyes at him as they passed and moved out the door, waving and simpering as they were shepherded out.

You stayed where you were, just behind Seto and right next to Mokuba as the younger Kaiba whispered to you softly. You giggled about the observations Mokuba had made about the other guests, and shared a few observations of your own.

As you both muttered back and forth, teasing each other about the girls that were currently parading past Seto, the blue-eyed boy kept casting you both looks that spoke of suspicion and amusement.

As soon as the others were gone, Seto was fixing Mokuba with a very elderly-brother look and telling him he should be going to bed.

You gave the younger a hug and waved him off, promising that you'd see him again soon.

Once he'd slipped off down the hall and towards his room, you and Seto stood in silence until he broke it. "Do you need a ride home? I can arrange a car for you."

You shook your head. "No thanks, Mokuba actually invited me to spend the night, but…" You smiled nervously. "I'm not actually sure where the room is."

He laughed, offering you his arm. "I think I know what room he's talking about, let me show you."

You took his arm and grinned up at him. "Thank you, Mr. Kaiba."

"You're very welcome."

You took the walk to your room in silence, playing with the folds of your dress as you moved through the halls. "I was wondering… If you're so against this cage of yours… Why don't you just leave?"

He gave you a look out of the corner of your eye. "Because of Mokuba."

You nodded once, smiling slightly. "I see."

"Do you?"

"You don't want him to have to shoulder all of this on his own. You may seem rather cold, but you're actually quite a good older brother."

He came to a slow stop outside of a door on your left and raised an eyebrow at you. "And you know that how?"

"Because Mokuba says so quite often."

He stared at you in surprise for a moment before you smiled up at him and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "Don't look so surprised." You slipped past him, opening the door to the guest room. "You were the one who said this wasn't your world."

He grabbed your hand before you managed to vanish into your room, and pulled you around into a forceful kiss.

You squeaked in surprise before you giggled and kissed back lightly, pulling him backwards into the room.

He pulled away to catch his breath, pressing his forehead to yours. "You're right, this isn't my world…" His eyes were bright as he looked at you with a grin. "But I think you might be…"

You grinned.

_Oh, it's lonely at the top…_

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><p><em>He's a touch out of character at the end, but you can deal with it, because Seto's worth putting up with it for.<em>

_Also, if you leave me requests for songs or characters, I will certainly consider them! ^_^_

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><p><em>The song <em>"Lonely At The Top" _belongs to: _Randy Newman

Yu-Gi-Oh! and its related characters _belong to: _Kazuki Takahashi


	6. Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back

**_Summary: _**But it wasn't the war that ended up throwing you, in the end. It was coming home and trying to belong. It was trying to sleep at night when all you could see were flames and faces that were forever caught in a silent scream because you'd put a bullet between their eyes.

**_Pairing__:_** Roy Mustang/Reader_  
><em>  
><strong><em>Warning: <em>**Spoilers for series end.

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><p><em>We can leave this world, leave it all behind<br>We can steal this car if your folks don't mind  
>We can live forever if you've got the time…<em>

It had been an impulsive decision, joining the army, but you'd done it.

You'd waved farewell to your friends and family and entered the academy, ready to fight for Fuhrer and country at any cost, proud to wear the blue uniform and stand at attention on the parade grounds as you were given your orders.

You made friends easily, and fell in with a certain sort of crowd while you trained and when the day of the Civil War came, you felt your heart flutter, because this wasn't about drills anymore. This was about defending your country to the last and praying that you made it out alive.

This was real and raw and scarier than even your drill sergeants had led you to believe, because this was _war_.

_I hope you're ready for a firefight  
>'Cause the devil's got your number tonight<br>They say "we're never leaving this place alive"  
>But if you sing these words, we'll never die…<em>

You felt your heart pound as the sound of gunfire rent the night air, intermingled with the shouts of your fellow officers and the easily recognizable crackling of alchemy.

Everywhere around you, people were charging forward as you hung back and waited, providing cover from the trench where you currently sat, trying to make sure you kept breathing, because more than one person would suffer if you lost your wits.

You were blinking hard, biting back the tears that were threatening to spill over and slip down your face, when a hand landed on your shoulder and you were pulled back to the present, whipping your head around to look up into the grinning face behind you.

Roy had been one of those people you'd gotten along with at the academy… One of the people you'd been thrilled to know would be serving alongside you in Ishval.

"Hey, don't miss, okay?" He gave your shoulder a squeeze, and you felt warmth flood through you. "I'll be out there, and I'm counting on you to have my back. Don't let me down."

"I won't." You managed to whisper back.

He grinned, clapping you on the shoulder and peering over the ridge of your trench. "That's my girl. Now come on, cover me." And he was off again, ducking and weaving as you followed his order and gave him the cover he needed.

That's why you were here. To help your friends make it out alive, and hope you made it too, because it would be a shame to come this far and then not be able to keep going.

_Get off the ledge and drop the knife  
>Not a victim of a victim's life<br>Because this ain't a room full of suicides  
>We're believers, I believe tonight…<em>

But it wasn't the war that ended up throwing you, in the end.

It was coming home and trying to belong. It was trying to sleep at night when all you could see were flames and faces that were forever caught in a silent scream because you'd put a bullet between their eyes.

You rationalized it in your mind by saying that it was all for the greater good. All under orders from someone higher up. All because you'd had to. Because you'd had to get the others out alive.

You put a hand over your eyes as you stood on the top of your apartment building, facing the sunset and wondering if maybe dying wouldn't be so bad after all.

They were the lucky ones, weren't they? The ones who hadn't made it. The ones who didn't have to deal with all of _this_. All of life.

You moved closer to the edge, doing the math in your head as you looked down at the street ten stories below you.

You wouldn't survive that kind of fall. Not if you jumped and landed head-first. Not if you planned this right.

You took a shaky breath and then stopped when you heard a soft voice from behind you, nearly as shaky as your own.

"Don't jump."

You turned around carefully, eyes wide when you spotted the dark hair and keen eyes of the man who'd told you every day that you _had_ to survive because people were waiting for you, and you had a duty to return to them.

"Why not?"

"Because you'll be missed. Now come on, step away from the edge."

"Who would miss little old me?"

"I would."

You wanted to laugh at him, but the way he was looking at you, you knew he was telling the truth. He was completely serious, and that meant something, coming from the Sovereign of Sarcasm.

"Really?"

"Really. Besides, who else am I going to talk into wearing a mini-skirt?"

You did laugh that time, but it was because you were being tugged into a warm embrace and then that laugh turned into a sob, and you couldn't hold back any longer, because you really weren't sure what to live for anymore.

You'd given _living_ your best attempt in the Civil War, and now nothing seemed to be like living at all, because waking up every morning and pulling on your uniform and casually heading into work was not the same sort of living as rolling out of your cot and grabbing your gun because a guard had shouted _raid_ at the top of his lungs.

This, whatever it was, was not living.

_I'll tell you all how the story ends  
>Where the good guys die and the bad guys win<br>This ain't about all the friends you made  
>But the graffiti they write on your grave…<em>

You leant your head against the cool stone at your back and smiled up into the sky, watching the clouds roll in across the bright azure sky. "How have you been, Hughes?" You asked softly, continuing before you knew he would have been able to reply. "I saw Gracia today… She told me I'm welcome whenever I want to stop by." You chuckled softly. "You sure knew how to pick 'em, huh? Lucky dog…" You frowned slightly up at the darkening sky and sighed softly. "Well… Maybe not so lucky after all, I guess."

The tombstone continued to be cold even after you'd sat against it for the better part of an hour, the stone slowly leaching the heat from your body until you were left shivering in the graveyard, huddled up in your coat and thankful you'd had the foresight to bring an umbrella.

The rain pattered softly around you, a lulling sound amongst the silent dead and weeping living, keeping you hooked to reality and reminding you that the world was still there, whenever you were ready to face it.

You came here most days you had off, and talked to the friend you'd lost, always imagining his voice in your mind, telling you the things you needed to hear. He wasn't nearly old enough to be your father, but he had certainly been the_ cool uncle_ you'd never had. You'd spent a lot of your free time with him and his wife, and you'd been treated like one of the family. Even now, you were still treated that way.

You'd loved him, and he'd left you all alone.

Your ragged breaths came out in wisps of fog, a sign of just how cold it had gotten since you'd arrived, and you pulled your coat a little tighter around you as you started to cry for what felt like the millionth time since his funeral. "What am I supposed to do, Maes?"

"Well for starters," a familiar voice stated softly from the other side of the grave, "you could try asking for help." You wiped hurriedly at your eyes as the Colonel stepped around the grave and stooped down until he could see your face. "Mind if I join you?"

You shook your head, unable to think of anything to say, and shifted enough to give him room as he sat beside you, shielded from the rain by your umbrella.

The two of you sat in silence for several long moments before you opened your mouth and managed to whisper out a question. "What kind of help would I be asking for?"

"Any kind." He replied just as softly. "We're here for you, if you need us."

"Who's _we_?" You asked, looking at him out of the corner of your eye.

He smiled slightly. "Myself, Gracia, any of my team, if you felt like asking them…" He trailed off, looking you in the eyes. "I don't want you thinking that there's a better alternative."

You felt a stab at that, remembering the day several years ago when you'd been a stupid girl on a rooftop. "Don't worry… I know better now."

He smiled for real that time, nodding once. "Good to know."

You managed a small smirk. "But out of the two of us, I think you're the one who needs help at the moment."

He looked perplexed for a moment before you continued, standing up and offering him your hand. "You're useless in the rain, Colonel."

He gave you a flat look for that, and you laughed as you helped him to his feet, not even noticing as he put an arm around your waist as you walked out of the cemetery together.

_For all of us who've seen the light  
>Salute the dead and lead the fight<br>Who cares if we lose the war?  
>Let the walls come down, let the engines roar…<em>

From then on out, the lines had started to blur, and you weren't really sure who to trust anymore, because if the Elric brothers were to be believed, then the nation was in trouble, and you had to choose a side to stand on.

But the only man you had ever really trusted was on one side, and you decided that it didn't matter if it was the losing side or not, you'd stand with him, because you owed him that much, at least.

You'd been careful and kept your mouth shut when interrogated and even mildly threatened, and you would always flash the Flame Alchemist a grin, because you knew that he was fighting for the right thing, even if no one else agreed with you.

And when Roy Mustang had staged a coup at Central Command, you'd been right there with him, ready to do whatever it took to give Edward the time he needed.

In a way, this was your own sort of revenge, knowing that Ed intended to put an end to the Homunculus who had killed Hughes. And for you, that was as good a reason as any.

And when the smoke had cleared, and the day was done, you'd survived once again, and you knew deep down that everything was going to be alright.

_I'm the only friend that makes you cry  
>You're a heart attack in black hair dye<br>So just save yourself and I'll hold them back tonight…_

It was everything that came after the fighting that was hard.

It was the rebuilding and recuperating, dealing with the people and piles of paperwork.

It was trying to remember what life had been like during a peace, and wondering if this was even a peace to begin with.

It was trying to not think about the fact that Roy had almost ended up blind, and that Havoc might not get full use of his legs back. It was wanting to forget all the sacrifices that had been made in order to get this far.

It was drowning your sorrows in a bottle of whatever you could get your hands on as you took up your usual post by Hughes' grave and talked till you went hoarse, because everyone else was too busy to listen.

Funny thing about the dead was that they had all the time in the world to listen to the problems of the living.

But every time you went, Roy would show up out of the blue right when you'd gotten to the part where you lamented losing the people you had, and you'd cry into his shoulder because he was convenient, and it just wasn't _fair_ that he got to see you cry like that.

But it was nice to be held in a warm hug and have reassurances whispered into your ear by a voice that sounded nearly as tired as your own did.

_You're the broken glass in the morning light  
>Be a burning star if it takes all night<br>So just save yourself and I'll hold them back tonight…_

The morning you woke up in a bed that wasn't yours was the day you realized this was where it had been heading all along, and when you found Roy asleep on his couch you tried not to laugh, because he looked adorable when he was asleep.

The soft kiss you gave him as a thank you before you slipped away managed to wake him up, and his reciprocating one was anything but _soft_.

By the time you managed to realize what had just happened, you were being tugged down into a sleepy hug and a soft huff was pressed to your temple before he told you that you were confined to the premises for the rest of the weekend, and that was an order so you'd better not go trying anything rash.

You managed a soft laugh and told him not to worry. You wouldn't be going anywhere for quite some time.

_We can leave this world, leave it all behind  
>We can steal this car if your folks don't mind<br>We can live forever if you've got the time…_

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><p><em>This is so not even a drabble. 2k+ Seriously. But I love it anyway, and I hope you do to.<em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back" _belongs to: _My Chemical Romance

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters _belong to:_ Hiromu Arakawa


	7. Painting Flowers

_**Summary:**_ But no matter what message he might have been spreading -from _Repent from thy sins_ to _Run for your lives_- you always found yourself tagging along for the ride anyway, because something about him was fascinating. And you quickly added that to your mental list of things that just didn't make sense.

**_Pairing: _**Nicholas D. Wolfwood/Reader

* * *

><p><em>When I wake up, the dream isn't done.<br>I wanna see your face and know I made it home.  
>If nothing is true, what more can I do?<br>I am still painting flowers for you…_

Some things in life never made sense to you, no matter how hard you tried.

The way people acted when drunk, for instance, or the way prices on everything kept slowly creeping higher, or even the way a certain Holy Man swore and didn't act very holy, even though he wore crosses as cufflinks and carried around a confessional under one arm.

Then there was the smoking and the drinking and the occasional womanizing, and really, you failed to see how the _Holy_ part of _Holy Man_ applied to him.

He was rough around the edges -and around the chin, given that he had a constantly-perfect amount of stubble sprouting there- and when he crept into a town to protect the innocent and spread the Good Word, you often had to question exactly how innocent they'd been before he'd protected them, and what word he was spreading.

It probably had four to seven letters and wasn't very polite.

But no matter what message he might have been spreading -from _Repent from thy sins_ to _Run for your lives_- you always found yourself tagging along for the ride anyway, because something about him was fascinating.

And you quickly added that to your mental list of things that just didn't make sense.

_Strange maze, what is this place?  
>I hear voices over my shoulder;<br>Nothing's making sense at all.  
>Wonder, why do we race?<br>When everyday we're running in circles,  
>Such a funny way to fall…<em>

There was something in the way he looked at you, every time you plopped unceremoniously onto the back of his motorcycle or scrambled onto a bus after him, that made you wonder why he never told you to stay behind.

Never once he did complain about your accompanying him, even when he knew you'd drag him from the bar when you'd thought he'd had enough or kick him under the table when he started making eyes at a woman across the room from you.

He put up with how you treated him the same way you put up with how he treated absolutely everyone else and his general lack of treatment where you were concerned.

He didn't ignore you, per say, but you certainly didn't feel like you were on the top of his priority list. You were always gently guided to walk just behind him and to one side, kept within easy reach and plain view.

When you weren't tramping about through town, and actually managed to find a place to spend the night, he never let you get your own room, so you had to share.

Not that you minded knowing he was within reach if you needed him, but he had a nasty habit of smoking in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep, and when he felt too lazy to get up and open a window, it was a nasty smell to wake up to.

But despite that, despite all his quirks and questionable tendencies, you found that you kind of liked how unique he was, and when he would actually take the time to unwind and open up, you found he was a really good listener.

And then he'd crack a joke and go back to being all shady and stoic and smoking like a _chimney_, and you'd have to put up with it until the next time you managed to break down his walls enough to get him to talk seriously.

But for one reason or another, you were always looking forward to it.

_Show my cards,  
>Gave you my heart,<br>Wish we could start all over.  
>Nothing's making sense at all.<br>Tried to open up my eyes,  
>I'm hoping for a chance to make it alright…<em>

"Do you know why I do the things I do?"

You knew he was drunk the instant he opened his mouth, the words slurring in an oddly cute way.

"I do the things I do," he continued without answer from you, "because I don't want anything to happen to you, because that would be _tragic_." He emphasized the last word by looking over at you and smiling slightly. "Never forgive myself, if that happened."

You chuckled, moving over to him and gently taking the bottle from his limp fingers before you started to take off his jacket, intent on getting him into bed so he could sleep it off.

He grinned cheekily up at you. "Can't keep your hands off me, huh? Can't say I blame you… I have trouble keeping my hands off you, too." He paused, realizing what he'd just said and blinked hard. "Whoops."

Your eyebrows shut up your forehead and you stared at him. "What was that?"

"I… Uh…" He rolled his eyes, mumbled something along the lines of _to hell with it_, and pulled you into a very sloppy kiss. Before you had the chance to respond, though, he was passed out and snoring softly.

You had to laugh, because somehow that was just like him.

The next morning found him rubbing his head and swearing quite frequently as memories of the night before came back to him and he sent you apologetic looks.

"Look, I…"

You stood up, cutting him off. "If you're about to apologize, don't." You kept your tone cool as you moved over to him, giving him an annoyed look as you leant in close and fought back a giggle at the terrified expression on his face. "You're a pretty good kisser even when you're drunk."

It took him a second to process that sentence before he was blinking and smiling, and back to his usual self, but with perhaps a bit more pep. He snagged another kiss before he delegated that it was time for breakfast, and dragged you out of the room by the hand, a broad grin still spilling over his face.

You couldn't help the smile that painted itself over your own lips as you followed him. You still might not be able to make perfect sense of him, but you decided that would just come with time…

_When I wake up, the dream isn't done.  
>I wanna see your face and know I made it home.<br>If nothing is true, what more can I do?  
>I am still painting flowers for you…<em>

* * *

><p><em>Just over 1k? Now <em>that_ is a drabble! XD _

_I love Wolfwood. I really, honestly do, and I'm so pleased _Methodical Madness_ suggested him for this song. X3_

_It turned out way more comedic than I thought it would, but given how the _last _one went, I don't see that as a bad thing. XD_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Painting Flowers" _belongs to: _All-Time Low

Trigun and its related characters _belong to:_ Yasuhiro Nightow


	8. Devour

_Requested/Suggested by _Methodical Madness

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><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**"Why do you care about a stray like me? You shouldn't think twice about a runaway like me. You shouldn't sit on rooftops and make me feel like I belong, because I _don't_ belong. Not in your world."

**_Pairing:_ **Alucard/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I will devour you<br>Take all the pain away  
>I cannot stay my hand<br>From reaching out so that I can  
>Empower you<br>For all eternity  
>It seems to ease my mind<br>To know that you've brought  
>Meaning to my life…<em>

You ran through the woods without watching where you were going, all your attention focused on simply _escaping_. Your breath came in painfully sharp gasps, and you ignored the sting on your skin from the harsh winter wind and the branches that would not yield willingly as you crashed through them.

You saw the stone wall ahead, the whole of the white-washed world thrown into stark relief by the light of the full moon above you. With a leap and a quick roll, you were over the wall and out of the compound.

You froze as you stopped to catch your breath, trying to get your bearings. The moon was directly above you, now, but it had been at your back when you'd begun your escapade, which meant…

A soft crush of footsteps on snow made your head whip around and look in the direction the sound had come from, muscles painfully bunched as you waited to see if this newcomer were friend or foe.

"Hmm? What have we here… A little bird fleeing its nest?"

The voice was deep and rich, rippling through the cold air and working its way into your ears with considerable ease.

"Are your wings broken, little bird?"

You glanced at your legs, crossed with angry red scratches and bruises that hadn't ever really healed. You looked back up, and jumped back into the wall when you saw the splash of his crimson coat mere inches from your face. You snapped your gaze up into his face when you heard him chuckle, and readied yourself for escape.

"My, my, what a jumpy little bird you are."

Before you could run, a strong arm had scooped you up and tucked you against him, holding you steady as he raised an eyebrow over the rim of his yellow glasses.

"We'll give you a new nest then, shall we?"

_Still enough  
>Although I know you're not begging<br>Still as the thoughts running through your mind  
>Still enough<br>Although I know you're not begging  
>Give me a reason to make you mine…<em>

This _new nest_ he spoke of was nothing more than a gilded cage in your eyes, and you disliked being confined to your room until they decided what to do with you.

Alucard, as you had come to discover his name to be, apparently had brought home strays before.

In the mean time, you spent your time slipping in and out of your room. You bypassed security with ease, and most nights found you sitting on the roof, drinking in the moonlight and clear air.

You could live in this cage, you decided, if no one interrupted these romps of yours and tried to lock you up more tightly.

The times you were removed from your room, you were examined and tested, always with great caution and care, as they tried to determine what had happened to you and what you were.

All the while you kept silent, because you weren't ready to see if your voice had survived all the screaming you'd done before you escaped, and you didn't want to sound strange under the careful watch of those crimson eyes.

And you had a feeling that they watched you even when you were locked in your room at night, and followed you all the way to the roof when the rest of the household was sleeping.

And somehow, you didn't mind it, because you sort of liked knowing that he hadn't ratted you out yet.

You liked knowing he could keep secrets.

_Had enough  
>Although I see you're not running<br>Still are the thoughts running through your mind  
>Dead to love<br>The path that you are now taking  
>Show me the reason to make you mine…<em>

You were handed a gun and asked to shoot any of the targets set up around the room.

You shot them all without missing once.

From that point on you were assigned to the same squad as Seras, and requested to assist the Hellsing Organization with their mission.

You'd known from the beginning that you wouldn't really have a choice in the matter, but you'd gone along willingly so as to avoid another instance of being given _that_ look by Integra.

You didn't run away, even though all of your instincts screamed at you to, and you found those crimson eyes on you more and more often.

And more and more often you'd find yourself on the roof, trying to not think about anything, because the memories were just as bad now as they had been when you arrived.

And the night a tall, dark shadow appeared on the roof next to you, you found you liked the company, even if you didn't speak.

His presence was one you enjoyed, and it beat staying up all night alone or stuck in a room with Seras when she just wouldn't be quiet.

He never asked questions, for which you were grateful, and when he did talk it was never about your past or his, but about what you could see and hear from your perch.

You found his sense of humor quite compatible with your own, and the more you sat together, the more you wished you could whisper back.

You wished you could ask him why he'd rescued you, when he'd known nothing about you. Why he'd gone through all this trouble for one girl who couldn't speak and just happened to be very good with a gun.

Why he'd been out for a walk in the dead of winter right past the wall you chose to jump over on your flight from captivity.

Why Fate had put you two together when you had so little in common.

Why he still called you _little bird_ when you no longer flew.

Why he'd even cared enough to carry you back here in the first place.

_Run, to where the smallest ray of light will never find you  
>Run, to where you will not need to shield your eyes<br>Run, away from all the soulless, heartless fiends who hound you  
>Run, away and let your memories go blind, when I devour you…<em>

Your first words were ripped from your throat against your will, and spilled from your lips into a dark room as you sat bolt upright in bed and clutched at the sheets in fear as the nightmare fell away from your eyes.

Before you could think, before you could barely even breathe properly, you were out of your room and down the hall, leaping over the traps that you knew were there, and ducking around sensors that had ensnared less fortunate trespassers.

You were through the hidden panel and down two dozen of the seemingly endless steps before you realized that you hadn't brought a flashlight. You also realized it was too late to turn back now, because your pulse was still thundering in your ears, and you listened to your instincts before you could think better of it.

The arms that caught you didn't seem surprised by your arrival, and when a hand was placed gently on the top of your head you realized why.

"You were watching me." Your voice was once again spilling over your lips, and you couldn't stop it. "Why were you watching me? Why are you concerned?"

"Because it's you, little bird."

"That's not good enough. Why do you care about a stray like me? You shouldn't think twice about a runaway like me. You shouldn't sit on rooftops and make me feel like I belong, because I _don't_ belong. Not in your world."

"That could always be fixed."

You pulled away and looked up at him, unable to see him but knowing he could see you. "I don't…" You shook your head, confused.

"Little bird, would you like to fly?"

_I will devour you  
>Take all the pain away<br>I cannot stay my hand  
>From reaching out so that I can<br>Empower you  
>For all eternity<br>It seems to ease my mind  
>To know that you've brought<br>Meaning to my life…_

* * *

><p><em>I love that ending.<em>

_And all of you will probably hate me for it. XD_

* * *

><p><em>The song<em> "Devour" _belongs to: _Disturbed

Hellsing and its related characters _belong to:_ Kouta Hirano


	9. Accidentally In Love

_I don't want to hear a _thing_ about this being in the wrong place. _Howl's Moving Castle_ is listed under _Manga/Anime_, so this is completely legit._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_Your train of thought suddenly derailed as a hand alighted onto your arm, and a warm whisper was placed to your ear. "Would you be so kind as to favor me with a dance, Miss? It's a true tragedy that you should go all night looking so stunning and be unable to find a suitable partner." You looked up into blue eyes brimming with mischief, and a mask covered in cobalt feathers. "It would be a pleasure to have you save me from these hungry hounds."

_**Pairing:** _Howl/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Come on, come on<br>Turn a little faster  
>Come on, come on<br>The world will follow after  
>Come on, come on<br>Because everybody's after love…_

The grand hall glittered with crystal caught in the candle light and jewels that hung in long strands around lady's necks. Rich fabrics adorned the party-goers in all the latest fashions, and masquerade masks hid people's true identities from view. The dancing couples sailed past you gracefully, and you wished you could trip just _one_ of them.

You didn't want to be here, not really.

Galas were your sister's territory, and normally you would have stayed at home, content with your books, but your mother had insisted that you attend tonight. And she'd made you wear this _ridiculous_ dress as well, so that every man within gaping distance -eligible or not- was doing just that.

You glared most of them down, determined to not set foot on the dance floor unless it was to get away, but there were a few that got much to close for comfort, and you were forced to retreat further back into the room before you punched their lights out for leering at you like that.

Your mask managed to hide your angry flush from view, and you were good enough at lying through your teeth to tell your mother and sister that everything was fine on the rare occasions that they stopped for long enough to actually ask.

But you weren't fine.

You were annoyed and angry, and ready to hit the next person who tried to…

Your train of thought suddenly derailed as a hand alighted onto your arm, and a warm whisper was placed to your ear.

"Would you be so kind as to favor me with a dance, Miss? It's a true tragedy that you should go all night looking so stunning and be unable to find a suitable partner."

You looked up into blue eyes brimming with mischief, and a mask covered in cobalt feathers.

The Raven smiled and spoke again. "Or do you not like the look of me either?"

You found yourself smiling back, slipping your arm around his. "I quite like the look of you, Sir. It would be a pleasure to have you save me from these hungry hounds."

"A damsel well worth saving," he replied with a wink, "it would be an honor." With a flourish he'd whisked you both through the crowd and onto the dance floor in time for the next dance.

_So she said, "What's the problem baby?"  
>What's the problem I don't know<br>Well maybe I'm in love, think about it every time  
>I think about it, can't stop thinking 'bout it…<em>

He'd taken you from the floor back to the corner you'd been using to hide in once the song was over; your progress there marked by more whispered gossiping than before, and a number of curious glances thrown your way.

"Is something the matter, my dear Raven?" You asked when you noticed he seemed slightly distracted.

He'd been a most agreeable dance partner, not only because he was a good height for you, but also because he had a near-constant running commentary on the other couples around you, and many whispered comments had been shared between the two of you as you'd danced.

He shook himself from his thoughts, snapping his attention back onto you with another flawless smile. "Merely thinking. I apologize for my neglectful behavior."

You shook your head, unable to hide a smile of your own as you saw your mother freeze in her progress towards you when one of her acquaintances stopped her in order to tell her what had happened. "You're forgiven. But I would beg your assistance in another matter, if you would be willing to save me from a situation not related to suitors."

"Oh? What else might distress my damsel?"

"My mother."

He winced. "I see. Well there are two routes of escape open to us… The balcony, where I believe you mother may not follow; or the floor again."

"Oh, the balcony, please. My mother has been known to lead in a dance in order to accomplish her own ends, and I fear she may attempt such a thing tonight."

He shepherded you towards the doorway, casting a glance back over his shoulder to where your mother was engrossed in conversation with the other woman. "Then into the night we must flee!"

_How much longer will it take to cure this  
>Just to cure it 'cause I can't ignore it if it's love<br>Makes me wanna turn around and face me  
>But I don't know nothing about love…<em>

You two stood in the moonlight for the better part of an hour, merely talking as the party continued on inside. You found him to be quite entertaining to talk to; his sense of humor rather akin to yours, and you fell easily into conversation over a number of things.

He could make you laugh more easily than anyone else before, and you found yourself wondering what he looked like under that feathered mask of his.

He was well dressed and well mannered, and you wondered if, under that guise, you knew him. Your mother had forced you out of your room and into a number of social events, and it would be almost comical to find that you two knew each other before this evening.

But as you watched him and listened to his voice, you thought you certainly would have remembered someone like him if you _had_ met before, because he would be terribly hard to forget.

"You seem to have gotten lost in thought, am I boring you?"

You blinked, pulling your mind back to the present, and looked up at him. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… And no, no, you're not boring me. I was just… Well, thinking."

"And what, pray, drew you in so completely?"

You fought back the blush that crept up your cheeks even though you knew he couldn't see it. "You did, actually."

He looked surprised. "You find my person so consuming?"

You nodded, no longer trusting your voice as you felt embarrassment wash over you and make you uncertain.

"I'm flattered," he replied with a smile, "but you must know that I find you similarly distracting… After all, how often are you fortunate to find a woman so particular about her dance partners?"

You laughed.

_So I said, "I'm a snowball running"  
>Running down into the spring<br>That's coming all this love melting under  
>Blue skies belting out sunlight, shimmering love…<em>

Your respite on the balcony was cut short by another couple moving out into the cool night air, and you quickly retreated back inside.

It seemed as though the rest of the party-goers were against you, though, because no matter where you hid you were forced out by another couple. You sighed every time you had to move, but your Raven found it most entertaining, smirking slightly every time he led you gently from the room you'd been previously occupying.

You were just slipping inside the cloak room when you felt a hand take hold of yours and pull you closer.

"Raven?"

"Damsel?"

You searched his eyes for any indicator as to why he'd just tugged you closer, but you found none. "Everything all right?"

"Perfect."

And a pair of lips descended lightly onto yours, a smirk evident on them.

_Well baby I surrender to the strawberry ice cream  
>Never ever end of all this love<br>Well I didn't mean to do it  
>But there's no escaping your love…<em>

It wasn't until you'd tangled your fingers in his hair that you realized why he seemed so familiar.

You pulled away from him as though he'd burned you, tugging off your mask in order to get a better look at his face, half-lit as it was from the light from the other room. "_Howl_?"

"Damsel?" He repeated in the same tone, leaning more into the light so that you could see him. "Did it really take you until now to remember me?"

You sputtered softly, trying to understand why you hadn't recognized the magician earlier. Why _no one_ had, for that matter. "You…"

"Courted your sister, yes. I imagine you remember me with lighter hair… Less polite too, I shouldn't wonder."

"You…"

"Haven't changed. You're only half right, there. I might look and sound the same, but quite a lot has happened to change the way I look on the inside." He took another half-step forward. "And my, how you've grown up… You're twice as pretty as your sister."

With no mask now to hide your blush you knew he could see it, but you didn't care. "Why did you come back? Why did you…" You couldn't even say it, your lips burning with the realization that he'd kissed you when he knew all along whom you were.

"I came back to save my little damsel from distress… Isn't that normally what the heroes do?"

"Whoever said you were a hero?"

He winced softly. "Oh now don't be like that… Only a moment ago I was your dear Raven, here to guide you into dark corners and steal sweet kisses… Can't you let me be him for tonight?"

You didn't look at him, trying to forget how he'd made your pulse race and your heart soar. "I…"

He tilted your head back up, smiling at you. "Can't you just let me fall in love?"

You frowned. "Only if I can fall right back."

"I'll be sure to catch you when you do."

_Come on, come on  
>Turn a little faster<br>Come on, come on  
>The world will follow after<br>Come on, come on  
>Because everybody's after love…<em>

* * *

><p><em>XD<em>

_I love Howl. He's so... Yeah._

_If any of you have read the book, you'll get the end context there a little more, but I suppose it's sort of touched on in the film as well._

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Accidentally In Love" _belongs to: _Counting Crows

Howl's Moving Castle and its related characters _belong to: _Diana Wynne Jones


	10. Inevitable

_**Summary:**_You rolled your eyes. "I _said_, if I had to pick one of you to marry, I'd pick Al." Edward threw his arms up in victory and Al went a shade of crimson not usually found in nature. "I _knew it_!" The elder cried triumphantly. You threw your shoe at him.

**_Pairing: _**Alphonse Elric/Reader

**_Warning:_**Spoilers for series end.

* * *

><p><em>Do you remember when we were just kids<br>And cardboard boxes took us miles from what we would miss  
>Schoolyard conversations taken to heart<br>And laughter took the place of everything we knew we were not..._

You sat in the sunshine, laughing into the blue sky above you, and thinking of anything but the future. Your you were free and happy and loved and nothing could ever possibly go wrong on a day like today, because it was beautiful and wonderful and you were with the people you loved.

"Hey!"

You turned at the unceremonious summons, trying to bite back a giggle at the serious look on Edward's face as he looked over at you. "Yeah?"

"If you had to pick one of us to marry, who would it be? Me or Al?"

"_Brother!_" Alphonse sputtered, going vibrantly pink in the face. "Don't ask things like that!"

"Oh come on, Al, you know you wanna know!" He teased, nudging his brother in the ribs. "I see the way you look at her. And don't think I missed you giving her those flowers yesterday!"

You and Winry lost yourselves in giggles as Al merely got redder and redder until he resembled a ripe strawberry in complexion.

"That- that's not fair, Brother! That was private!"

Edward grinned like the evil little mastermind he was. "Oh it was, huh, then I guess you shouldn't have stayed out in the open." He nudged his brother meaningfully in the ribs again, waggling his eyebrows up and down. "You shoulda pulled her into the shadows back behind the shed, _and then_ you coulda…"

He was silenced by a shoe to the face and toppled like a domino from the force of Winry's throw. "Edward, don't dirty your brother's ears with stuff like that! You're supposed to be a good model!"

You couldn't stop laughing at their antics, actually feeling your stomach start to ache with the force of your giggles. "Ed, you're _terrible_! So terrible, in fact, that I wouldn't marry you! I'd pick Al over you any day!"

The brothers froze in their prospective movements, Ed poised to throw the shoe back at Winry and Al about to stop him.

"_What?_" They asked in unison.

You rolled your eyes. "I _said_, if I had to pick one of you to marry, I'd pick Al."

Edward threw his arms up in victory and Al went a shade of crimson not usually found in nature.

"I _knew it_!" The elder cried triumphantly.

You threw your own shoe at him and had just as much success as Winry had, making him topple all over again.

You laughed as he and Winry started to chase each other back towards the house, and Al looked at you guiltily from where he sat.

"Did you mean that?" He asked in a tiny voice. "What you said to Edward?"

You smiled at him, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Every word."

He went scarlet again.

_I wanna break every clock  
>The hands of time could never move again<br>We could stay in this moment  
>For the rest of our lives<br>Is it over now hey, hey, is it over now..._

You were staring up at the moon from the Rockbell's roof, a blanket over your shoulders to keep away the night air and a cup of cocoa clutched in your hands.

Alphonse sat next to you, trying not to stare at you instead of the moon, and you had to giggle when he jerked his head away from you so fast his neck popped.

"You okay, Al? You've been all jumpy ever since Ed went back inside."

He looked down into his own mug of cocoa and tried to find the words he wanted to say. "Ah… There… There's something I wanted to ask you."

You turned to look at him, an encouraging smile in evidence. "What is it?"

"You…" He cleared his throat and tried again. "Remember when you said you'd pick me over Edward, when we were sitting under that tree, and when he and Winry left you kissed my cheek?"

You blinked. "Yeah, I remember…"

He looked over at you and even in the pale light of the moon you could see his blush. "Could you do it again?"

You laughed, leaning in to press your lips to his cheek, but he turned his head at the last second, and your lips met his in a kiss.

You pulled away quickly, surprised, and he started apologizing before you leaned over and rested your head on his shoulder. "I thought I told you," you muttered softly, "I'd pick you over your brother any day."

He put an arm gently and cautiously over your shoulders and pulled you a little closer, shifting so that you could lean against him as you looked up into the midnight sky and watched the stars drift by.

It was the silent moments like these that made you so fond of Alphonse. Because he knew the importance of taking in the world around you and just enjoying it for what it was.

You sat like that until your cocoa got cold and Pinako told you it was time to come down and go to bed, but Alphonse held your hand all the way up to your room, and when he left you by your door and slipped off to his own room, it was almost in a reluctant way.

And you told Winry about it the second you were inside, because otherwise you would have _burst_.

_Amazing how life turns out the way that it does  
>We end up hurting the worst, the only ones we really love...<em>

You stared at the suit of armor sitting on the steps of Winry's house and tried to think through what a soft voice had just explained from the expanse of that suit.

He was gone.

_No_. You reprimanded yourself harshly. He was still here. He was sitting in front of you. He was…

"Al?"

"Yeah?"

"Are… Are you ever going to get your body back?"

"…I… I don't know."

You heard the sadness in his voice and moved forward, finding a way to wrap him in a hug and pull him close, feeling comforted by the sun-warmed metal. "You'd better. Because if you don't I'm gonna be really mad at you for not hugging me goodbye."

You heard him chuckle, and knew that no matter what happened it was going to be alright, because it was Al and Ed and if anyone could figure this out it was them.

"I know it's going to take you two time, but you'll come back to me, won't you?"

One of his hands tentatively splayed against your back, acutely aware of how much bigger he was now than you. "I promise."

You held onto him a little tighter and told yourself not to cry, because everything would be alright.

And you just kept telling yourself that over and over to keep the tears at bay.

_I wanna be your last, first kiss  
>That you'll ever have<br>I wanna be your last, first kiss…_

You stayed in that house with Winry and Pinako, and jumped every time the telephone rang, because maybe it was _them_. And when Winry rolled her eyes and yelled at a certain blond you both knew, you'd grin and get your gear together, because you'd be going with her to fix him up.

Winry usually didn't need you to hold Ed down while she reconnected the Automail, so basically you were just there to tease him and keep Al company while he waited for the repairs to be done.

You tried to never ask him how the search was going, instead talking about what had been happening back home, no matter how mundane it might be, and he always laughed and told you he appreciated the update, and somehow you knew he really meant it.

You hugged him whenever possible, remembering one whispered conversation you'd had over the phone when he admitted to missing people treating him normally.

You held his hand, punched his shoulder, tried to make him feel as human as possible with only a soul to occupy all that empty space.

And once, when it had been a particularly stormy night and you knew he would be lonely in his own room, you'd curled up inside his armor and kept him company until you'd fallen asleep in there.

You made sure you never told anyone about that particular episode.

The time you spent together was yours and yours alone, and whatever happened between the two of you stayed between you two. Edward never heard about what you talked about when you went to the roof of whatever building you were in, or what Al transmuted for you to take home to remember him by.

It was the little things like that that made the whole situation just a bit more bearable, and you could almost remember how it felt to hold his real hand when he grabbed yours in his armor one.

_I wanna be your last, first kiss  
>That you'll ever have<br>I wanna be your last, first love  
>Till you're lying here beside me with arms and eyes open wide<br>I wanna be your last, first kiss for all time..._

You were at home, washing dishes and loving how dull the day had been thus far, when a pair of hands landed on your waste and a soft kiss was pressed to your shoulder.

You jumped a mile in the air and brandished a frying pan at the boy behind you as he started to laugh, holding his hands up in surrender.

And then you recognized his hair and his smile and his laugh and you forgot everything you'd been about to say in favor of pulling him into the tightest hug possible and crying into his shoulder.

He held you just as tightly and whispered softly into your ear, telling you not to cry because everything was alright now, and he was finally _home_.

When you finally stopped crying you pulled away and took in every detail of his appearance because he'd grown up while he'd been wherever it was.

And once you had his smile recommitted to memory and the color of his eyes memorized, you tugged him into another hug and kissed him soundly.

He laughed against your lips and you tried not to melt, because metal might be warm in the sun but nothing beat the heat of his arms holding you tightly.

You couldn't hold him close enough; couldn't run your fingers through his hair enough; couldn't get enough of _him,_ because it was finally him again.

All flesh and bone and bright eyes and gentle smiles.

Everything that made him _Alphonse Elric_, that made him everything you wanted and everything you'd missed. Everything you could possibly want.

And when you'd finally found your voice again, you whispered the two words you'd been waiting to say for so long that it almost hurt to let them slip past your lips.

"Welcome home."

_I wanna be your last, first kiss  
>That you'll ever have<br>I wanna be your last, first kiss…_

* * *

><p><em>One of my most favorite characters of all time. X3<em>

* * *

><p><em>The <em>_song _"Inevitable" _belongs to: _Anberlin

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters _belong to:_ Hiromu Arakawa


	11. A Hundred Kisses

_Been planning this one for a while, and this song was playing when I woke up this morning, so I was struck with sudden inspiration. XD_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_You jumped when footsteps sounded on the shingles behind you, and you turned to look up into a face framed by midnight hair. "Sorry for startling you…" A silky voice spilled past his lips and onto the night air. "But do you mind if I sit here for just a moment?"

_**Pairing:**_Dark Mousy/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I'd steal a hundred kisses<br>Before you'd say goodbye  
>Then make a hundred wishes<br>In the name of you and I…_

You sat on your roof and looked up at the moon as it rose up above the horizon, an eerie yellow in complexion and nearly full. It was beautiful, and you felt yourself smile at it in welcoming as it finally spilled fully into the sky and continued to slowly creep up into its heavenly resting place.

Night was your element, and you never felt more alive than you did at midnight as you sat here and watched the stars swirl passed. You loved knowing that there were only a handful of others that were up with you, and you alone walked the halls of your house in the dead of night.

You jumped when footsteps sounded on the shingles behind you, and you turned to look up into a face framed by midnight hair.

"Sorry for startling you…" A silky voice spilled past his lips and onto the night air. "But do you mind if I sit here for just a moment?"

You shook your head, unable to find the words to express what you wanted to say, and watched him move closer and sit next to you, smiling up at the moon with you.

"You picked a great night to look at the stars." He commented mildly, almost to himself. "They should be out in full force tonight…"

"Do you watch the stars often?" You managed to ask in a small voice, wondering where he'd come from and how he'd gotten onto your roof.

"Not as much as I'd like…" He looked over at you from the corner of his eye and smiled. "But, you know, if you let me come again, we could watch them together."

You blinked, surprised by his words. It was part request, part offer, and despite not knowing him at all, you liked the thought of seeing him again. "When are you free?" You asked.

He grinned. "Tomorrow night, if that'll work for you."

You nodded eagerly as he stood, and you scrambled to your feet as well.

"Easy now," he caught your arm before you slipped closer to the edge, "we don't want you getting hurt, now do we?"

You looked up at him to reply, but your voice died in your throat when you saw a pair of massive black wings blocking the both of you from view.

"I've got to run, but I'll see you tomorrow night." He leaned forward, pulling your hand up to his mouth to plant a kiss on the back of it before he winked. "And be careful of that edge… The first step's a doozy."

He was gone with a flurry of onyx feathers, and you caught one as it floated down back to earth, holding it close as your mind started to question what you'd just seen.

You'd thought angels had white wings.

_Shake off the rain  
>And dry off and come inside tonight<br>You don't have to be alone  
>You don't have to be alone<br>You've got the prettiest face that I ever did see  
>With eyes so sad like songs I swear I've known...<em>

You paced in your bedroom, eyes glancing at the window every time you passed it, and worried your bottom lip between your teeth.

It was raining, _pouring_ more like, and with the torrential rainfall there was no way you'd be able to get onto the roof let alone see the stars through all the clouds.

You wanted to see your mysterious angel, but you knew that going up there would be the dumbest idea you'd ever had and potentially fatal. You let out an annoyed huff as you flopped onto your bed and groaned softly into your sheets, hoping that he'd understand why you weren't there, given the weather, or better yet that he wouldn't even try to come.

As much as you didn't want to risk getting hurt yourself, you wanted him to get hurt even less. Especially since it would be for nothing, given that you weren't even…

You sat up with a jolt when you heard a knock sound through your room. You slipped from your bed and headed to the door before the knock sounded again, more frantically this time, and you realized it was coming from behind you.

You turned on your heel and gaped at the glass door that led onto your balcony, recognizing your dark-winged angel as he stood on the other side.

You hurried over and opened the door, letting him slip inside and chuckle as he looked at you. "I started this way before the rain hit… I'm glad you didn't try to climb up there in this."

You gave him a look. "You shouldn't have come all the way in this… It's terrible out there."

He grinned. "But you still let me in."

"Of course I let you in! I wasn't about to let you catch pneumonia because you were knocking at my door all night." You folded your arms and looked up at him, trying to ignore the way his purple hair stuck to the sides of his face, or the way his already form-fitting outfit now no longer left details up to your imagination.

"I'm dripping onto your carpet…" He pointed out softly.

You blinked, snapping out of your reverie, and turned back around, heading to your bathroom. "Sorry about that… Here, you can get dried off in here…"

He followed you obediently, squelching softly with each step, and gave you an amused smile when you offered him a towel. "Why are you doing this?"

You raised an eyebrow at him, unsure of what he meant.

"You don't even know me, and you let me into your room. Most girls would be shouting for the police by now."

"I'm not most girls. Besides, shouting wouldn't do me any good, my aunt sleeps like the dead." He laughed at that, and you slipped past him back into your room. "You dry off and I'll try to find you some clothes."

"I could just use a towel…" He trailed off, and you didn't even have to look at him to know he was smirking.

"I'll try to find you some clothes." You repeated.

He chuckled, and you tried not to think about it.

_And I hope to God  
>That you're not pretending<br>Cause if you are  
>I swear I don't know what I'm going to do<br>But I promise you that I'll be good to you  
>If you promise that you'll try to love me too<br>Somehow..._

"You never answered my question." Dark, as he'd finally introduced himself, was sitting across from you on your bed, looking into his mug of hot tea. "Why are you doing this?"

"Can't a girl let a handsome guy into her room just because she wants to?"

He ignored the comment about him being handsome in order to give you a pointed look. "Stop avoiding the question. Just answer me."

"You looked lonely."

He blinked. "What?"

"When you asked if you could sit with me on my roof, you looked the way I'd been feeling… Lonely." You shrugged, lowering your gaze back to your lap. "And then tonight… Even though it was pouring you still came, you could have waited and explained what had happened later, but you didn't."

"I didn't want you to worry."

"I was more worried that you'd try to fly through the storm than I was about you making it."

He shook his head. "Lonely, huh?"

"Lonely."

"Well, let's make a deal, then." He said softly, sitting forward and offering you his hand. "I'll try to look less lonely, and you'll try to feel less lonely. How does that sound?"

You took his hand and gave it a firm shake. "Deal."

"Deal." He repeated, and gave your hand a sharp tug, pulling you into a kiss.

_Give me your every breath  
>And promise me your world<br>I don't ask for much at all  
>All I want is all you've got<br>Could you be that girl  
>Are you thinking of me?<br>Or have I projected all of my hopes on you..._

It had started out slowly, with moonlit meetings on your roof so that you could watch the stars together, with warm hugs and gentle smiles, with soft kisses pressed to your shoulder or forehead.

You had talked till you couldn't talk any longer, and on more than one occasion you watched the sunrise together before he'd give you that apologetic smile he only used when he had to leave, and you'd slip back into the house to sleep through the hours until you could see him again.

Your lonely angel was the thing that helped you get through the rough patches that you went through, and his voice could ease away your worries with a few choice words.

It was nice to move so slowly through life, so simply. To know what the next night would bring and feel your pulse quicken at the thought of hearing his voice, seeing his smile…

But there were times when it wasn't enough.

You'd have to curl up next to him and rest your head on his shoulder, sit in just a way that let you lean back against his chest and feel his words rumble through you, let him carry you inside and then pull him down next to you and whisper that you wanted him to stay until you fell asleep.

You weren't lonely anymore, but at the same time you knew something was missing, and you wanted to know what it was. You never asked him, because you didn't want him to vanish into the night sky the way he'd appeared all those months ago, and you didn't want to scare him away.

You just wanted to know what you were missing, and wondered suddenly if he felt like he was missing it too.

He let himself in that night, and you knew as soon as you saw his face that something was wrong. He didn't give you the chance to ask what it was, though; he just pulled you to him and held you close.

You two stood that way until he pulled away far enough to press his lips to yours, and a light bulb seemed to go off in your head.

_This_ was what you'd been missing.

_And I know there'll be nights filled with tears  
>I know there'll be fights and fears<br>But that's a part of it too  
>So do you think I have the slightest chance to be<br>Everything to you  
>Cause you mean everything to me...<em>

You weren't a perfect couple by any means.

You found out what he did, and the first night after seeing the great _Phantom Thief_ on television you locked him out and refused to open the door.

He explained through the glass that he hadn't had a choice, and that what you two had wouldn't be tainted by what he did for a living.

He was gone as soon as the sun rose, and you actually stayed up all day trying to collect your thoughts.

You decided that if he came back, your door would be open, and when the velveteen caress of feathers awoke you at sundown you had to smile, because it kind of tickled but you liked it.

You stayed in bed all night, whispering to each other through the darkness and trying not to think about what might happen if he ever got caught.

He laughed and told you they could try, but he was better than that.

And you, of course, had to challenge him about just how good he really was. He'd accepted with a grin, and you were grateful that your aunt was such a heavy sleeper.

"You mean the world to me, you know." He whispered into your hair as you saw the pre-dawn light start to fill your room. "And no matter what happens, I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me."

You barely heard him leave, still half-asleep as you were, and when you found the black feather on your pillow you knew it was going to be alright.

Morning might have taken him away, but night would bring back your Dark.

_Today is the perfect day  
>Today is the day I tell you<br>If you ever walk away  
>Then I would die right there for you...<em>

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><p><em>I think that ending might have just given me cavities. Ugh.<em>

_Seriously, though, I love this song. (I actually recommend looking it up, if you don't know it already) And Dark too, of course. Who couldn't love him?_

* * *

><p><em>The song<em> "A Hundred Kisses" _belongs to: _She Wants Revenge

DNAngel and its related characters _belong to:_ Yukiru Sugisaki


	12. Never Met A Girl Like You Before

_This song fits him better than I thought it would. Thanks to _Methodical Madness _for the suggestion!_

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><p><strong><em>Summary:<em> **It was never the boy who discovered far too late that he'd fallen in love with this odd little angel, and there was no turning back now, because he was in over his head and he didn't know how on earth he was going to get out of this. How he was going to get over you, when you were the one girl who had caught his eye without having to do _anything_.

**_Pairing: _**Tamaki Suoh/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Love is here ain't a cloud in the sky<br>Would you be my flushing bride?  
>I don't think so<br>But I never met a girl like,  
>I never met a girl like,<br>I never met a girl like you before..._

He knew there was something different about you the moment his eyes azure landed on you. You were graceful but… You didn't seem to fit in with the other stuck-up girls that he met. You would laugh, and he could hear it all the way across the 3rd music room's interior. You would giggle, and he had to force himself not to turn his head to look in your direction, because that would have been rude. You looked at him, and he felt his heart skip beats the way it never had before.

You were a regular here at the Host Club, but you'd never requested him after your first sitting, when you'd taken "The Tour" of the hosts and found which ones you liked best. You'd settled on Kyouya after a little while, and occasionally visited the others when you felt like it, but never Tamaki.

Never the one boy who wished more than anything that you'd just come sit next to him, because it would mean the world to him just to feel your shoulder brush casually against his, or hear you say his name.

Never the boy who watched you from the corners of his eyes because staring outright was rude and he didn't want to insult you.

Never the boy who sighed his free moments away wondering why you hadn't picked him, why you didn't smile at him the way you smiled at all the others.

Never the boy who discovered far too late that he'd fallen in love with this odd little angel, and there was no turning back now, because he was in over his head and he didn't know how on earth he was going to get out of this. How he was going to get over you, when you were the one girl who had caught his eye without having to do _anything_.

_I would wrap the world in clover  
>But to make you me see my way<br>And I would die for you tomorrow  
>Would you come to me today?<br>Sing a song of sadness about the girl with the happy face  
>And dance upon the water with no ripple or a trace...<em>

No one could say that Tamaki didn't try to get your attention.

He sent you flowers, anonymously of course, and then sobbed when you thought they were someone else. He tried to start up conversations about anything at all, but you were always only ever half-listening because you weren't really here for the boys, but to study. He would look over the backs of sofas at you as you sat in a window seat with a cup of tea and look over your textbooks and ask Kyouya for help when you needed it.

The other hosts knew, of course, how could they not? But they never said anything, on Tamaki's insistence that he needed no help getting your attention or winning your heart.

They shook their heads at his antics and swore up and down that you were well worth catching, but he'd have to bait his hook in a much better way than he was already.

He shook his head and told them that you weren't a fish, but a mermaid, a blessed maiden who-

Hikaru would slap him with a pillow before he got further into the list of your virtues, and you'd look up from your book at the sound and laugh at the image of a comically-toppling Tamaki and ask what he'd done to deserve it.

The twins smoothed things over every time things got close to being disclosed, and you'd let them lie through their teeth because you knew there was a good reason for it.

And Tamaki would continue to sulk and stare and sigh his life away because _they_ could talk to you oh-so-easily, but he couldn't, and that hurt more than your inattention to him ever did.

But then Haruhi suggested he just corner you one day between classes and admit how he felt, and he decided that maybe the direct approach wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

Because hey, getting your attention in a negative light might be better than not having your attention at all.

_I'd climb the highest mountain  
>To the sunrise from your face<br>Light a million candles  
>To flicker to your name<br>Scream aloud with vengeance  
>With the wind beneath my breath<br>Do you understand the madness?  
>Do you recognize the grace?<em>

His confession turned out great when he rehearsed it in the mirror over his bathroom sink that morning, but when he actually had you alone in your last classroom of the day, he couldn't find his voice until you prompted him softly with a whisper of his first name, and then it was all he could do to not pull you to him and kiss you senseless.

"I just wanted to ask you something…" He managed at last, not looking you in the eye.

"Sure, Tamaki, what is it?"

"When's your birthday?" He blurted out, snapping his head back up to look at you.

You blinked. "Ah, why?"

"K-Kyouya wanted to know so that if you came to the Club on your birthday, we could do something special… Or something…"

You laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like Kyouya…" You shrugged and told him, and then quirked an eyebrow at him. "Anything else?"

He opened his mouth, shut it, and then shook his head. "Sorry to have kept you."

"No problem."

He slammed his head against the wall the moment the door closed behind you and cursed himself silently, because that had _not_ gone according to plan.

First-name-calling or not, it wasn't what he'd been wanting, and he had to clench his fists and tell himself that he _would_ get your attention if it was the last thing he did.

Kyouya might have been the Shadow King, but Tamaki could be conniving and resourceful when he needed to be…

Couldn't he?

_I'd surely die in limbo  
>Waiting for your every call<br>Will I ever see your sunshine?  
>When I'm done playing it all<br>A boy with no companion  
>Lost for baby blue<br>Words have only meaning  
>When they come from one like you…<em>

The music room was empty the next day when you entered, and for a moment you thought maybe you'd gotten the timing wrong.

But then a spot light you hadn't even known existed flicked on, and a soft song filtered through the room from the piano that was illuminated at the other end of the room.

You blinked twice before you recognized the tune as one of your favorites and slowly moved forward, eyebrows rising when a gentle voice joined with the notes of the piano and sang along.

Tamaki didn't look at you when you finally came close enough to see him, hands fidgeting behind your back as you waited for him to finish. This wasn't totally unexpected, given what Kyouya had finally told you the night before, but you were touched by the sudden gesture, no matter how overly-dramatic it was.

He finished the song with a flourish, and continued to look at the keys for a moment before he glanced up at you and opened his mouth, not sure of what he was going to say, but you beat him to it.

"You could have just told me, you know."

He blinked. "Told you what?"

"Told me how you felt."

He flushed a light pink and returned his gave to the piano, fingers tracing absently over a few keys. "I… Wasn't sure you would have listened."

You grabbed his chin and roughly turned his head to look at you. "Tamaki," you said clearly and forcefully, "I am neither blind nor deaf." He looked confused for a moment before you continued; tone more gentle. "I will always listen, Tamaki, if you have something to tell me. And I will always see you; no matter how lost you may think you are." You leaned in and gently pressed your lips to his, feeling him jump even though it wasn't all that sudden.

"But… You never…" He wasn't making much sense, even in his mind, and you had to laugh.

"I always noticed you. I always will." You pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You will never be invisible to me, Tamaki."

He stood suddenly enough to topple the piano bench and pulled you into a tight hug, hiding his face in your hair. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." You stayed that way for several long moments, listening to each other's breathing and feeling each other's heartbeats until you smirked and pulled away far enough to look up at him. "But please don't call me a _mermaid_ ever again."

He went crimson, and you had to laugh again.

_Love is here ain't a cloud in the sky  
>Would you be my flushing bride?<br>I don't think so  
>But I never met a girl like,<br>I never met a girl like,  
>I never met a girl like you before...<em>

* * *

><p><em>I really love writing for Tamaki... More than I thought I would. And I can totally see him pulling something like that at the end... XD<em>

_Also! This song is amazing, and if you've never heard it I suggest you look it up._

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><p><em>The song <em>"Never Met A Girl Like You Before" _belongs to:_ Flogging Molly

Ouran High School Host Club and its related characters _belong to: _Bisco Hatori


	13. Holding Out For A Hero

_Three words. _Blame Methodical Madness.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_How did you find someone like _him_ attractive? How did you get here, after fighting against all of the things that made up the list of attractive qualities? How did you finally get over it and realize that no matter what your head said, this was clearly what your heart wanted? How had this gotten so out of control?

_**Pairing:**_Bankotsu/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I need a hero<br>I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night  
>He's gotta be strong<br>And he's gotta be fast  
>And he's gotta be fresh from the fight...<em>

It hadn't started out like your normal sort of romance…

It had started out as a battle to the death; the bloodier the better, and at some point between trying to slit each other's throats and slice the other into tiny shreds, you'd sort of fallen for each other.

And just thinking about it made you feel weird, like maybe there should have been a problem with that, but you really weren't sure where the problem was, given that you'd fallen just as hard for him as he had for you, and Stockholm Syndrome was _rarely_ a two-sided relationship.

So what made the Band of Seven's leader so…

Attractive?

You fell into an easy routine of breaking his appearance down every time this question arose in the forefront of your mind, and by now it was old hat, but you went through the list anyway.

From the top, then.

For starters, the man was, well… You blushed at the memory of walking in on him one night when he'd been getting ready to bathe, and the expanses of tanned skin that had been on display were certainly not unpleasing to the eye.

And speaking of eyes, his were bright and burning with intelligence and ingenuity, and whenever he looked at you, you swore you saw something else swim into them, even if you weren't sure what it was…

And then he opened his mouth and his voice could make shivers travel along your spine like nothing else.

And then there was the obvious appeal of a man who was strong in battle. A natural leader who knew what risks to take and just how far to go in order to achieve his goals. A man who applied that practice in most other areas of his life.

A man who, despite being ruthless on the battlefield, was gentle to his compatriots, and treated the other members with kindness unless another course of action was required.

So, there were quite a few things that you found attractive about him. And it was easy to explain why they were there and why they made you react the way they did, but the thing that got you was how it felt _after._

After the whirlwind of rapid pulses and bruising heartbeats. After the searing kisses and molten paths forged by curious fingers and an even more curious tongue. After the pain and pleasure had worn off and you were left staring up at the ceiling or the night sky and wondering _how_.

How did you find someone like _him_ attractive?

How did you get here, after fighting against all of the things that made up the list of attractive qualities?

How did you finally get over it and realize that no matter what your head said, this was clearly what your heart wanted?

How had this gotten so out of control?

_Where have all the good men gone  
>And where are all the Gods?<br>Where's the street-wise Hercules  
>To fight the rising odds?<br>Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?  
>Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need...<em>

They'd raided your home.

You remembered the first time you ever heard the name, _The Band of Seven_, and wondered who they could be, because they didn't sound too dangerous.

But then you'd seen the trail of devastation that followed in their wake, and you felt your stomach plummet out from under you because where your village once stood was nothing more than ashes and corpses.

Jakotsu had called you cute when he'd first seen you. You figured that was probably what lead Bankotsu to tilt his head off to one side and decide that for once they would be taking a prisoner.

And you'd thought your stomach had plummeted before.

Jakotsu wasn't all that bad, though, and with time you found you didn't mind when he came to visit your cell, and you minded even less when Bankotsu came with him, because you found the way he talked to be interesting, and there was just… Something about him.

You'd never dreamed for a moment that that _something_ would turn into a full-fledged attraction over the course of time, but at the time you'd also thought that one of them would lose their temper and kill you before you got a chance to do much else.

Something kept them away from you, though, and one night when Jakotsu came to visit, he let slip that their illustrious leader kinda-sorta had a thing for you, and you had to try and hide your blush from his searching gaze, because you kinda-sorta had a thing for him too.

Not that you'd ever admit that, of course.

_Somewhere after midnight  
>In my wildest fantasy<br>Somewhere just beyond my reach  
>There's someone reaching back for me<br>Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat  
>It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet...<em>

It wasn't long after that that the lessons started.

At first it was just Jakotsu giving you vague descriptions of his fights, and you trying to work out the moves on your own. But it had escalated quickly, with a lesson from the man whenever he got the chance and the privacy.

You were a fast learner, and the next time Bankotsu came to visit you on your own, you broke out and got to the entrance before a hard body collided into yours and knocked the wind from you as you landed hard on the ground.

He'd chuckled into your ear and you'd tried to keep every thought not concerned with survival and escape out of your mind as you tried to twist out from under him.

"You've got spirit, I'll give you that." He'd grinned down at you when he'd managed to flip you onto your back. "But I've got the experience."

You'd growled at him, and that emotion had swirled through his eyes for a fraction of a second before the others came running and he turned to tell them it was okay.

_That _was when the real lessons had started.

He'd claimed you couldn't be a real member, given that you were once a prisoner, but he agreed to keep you as a reserve in case anything happened.

You wanted to ask his real reasons, but Renkotsu had been within earshot, so you decided that question could wait.

You surprised him with your ferocity, and on more than one occasion you came close to victory before he pulled some fancy footwork and threw you to the ground.

But no matter how hard he threw you, or how far away you landed, you were always quick to pick yourself up and get back into the ring, ready for another round. You toughened up quick, and when you finally beat him in a match, you saw that emotion swim through his eyes again before he stood and dusted himself off.

"I don't think that cell suites you any longer."

Your heart had frozen in fear, afraid that he'd finally had it, and was planning to kill you.

"Why don't we get you your own room?"

You'd been so relieved you'd cried, and you hardly even noticed when a warm hand landed on your shoulder, and a strong arm circled lightly around your back.

"Hey, don't cry about it! I thought a pretty girl like you would be thrilled to get out of that place."

You'd blushed at the compliment and tried to wipe away your tears while hiding your face. You really didn't want him knowing that he had that over you, those careless compliments about your appearance or strength. Those offhanded remarks that could be taken in so many different ways when you let your mind roam.

_Up where the mountains meet the heavens above  
>Out where the lightning splits the sea<br>I could swear that there's someone somewhere watching me  
>Through the wind and the chill and the rain<br>And the storm and the flood  
>I can feel his approach<br>Like the fire in my blood..._

It wasn't long after you'd moved into your room, which was conveniently located next to his, that the visits started again. At the beginning they were just casually pauses as he passed in front of your doorway, and then he ventured over the threshold and would take a few minutes to see how you were doing, and then he came in and sat at the end of your bed and spent a full half-hour talking to you.

The night you felt him slip into bed beside you, you were surprised but pleased, and relieved that that was as far as it went, because Suikotsu was just across the hall, and you didn't want him to hear anything that would best be kept quiet.

It didn't take long for Bankotsu to start smiling at you the way he did with his other Band members, and whenever he found it necessary to touch you, even a brushing of shoulders, an electric shock ran through you from the contact.

And when he'd caught you off guard one night and pulled you into a rough kiss, it was all you could do to not push him against the wall and show him how you really felt.

The compliments continued. The casual comments about how you looked or moved; that seemed so innocent on the surface, but had a myriad of hidden meanings swirling just beneath them.

The touching was now commonplace. It wasn't odd for him to put his hand onto the small of your back or catch your arm or wrist when you stumbled, and every time he did you felt those same chills dance across your skin.

The midnight trysts were still a secret. You'd slip out of the base together, and tell anyone who asked you were going on patrol, and then be gone for hours, screaming to the heavens because you'd _fallen_.

Fallen so hard and so fast and so easily for the man who'd turned your village to dust and kept you because one of his compatriots thought you were cute enough to not kill.

"Why did you keep me?" You asked one night as you stared up at the stars, head resting on his shoulder.

He chuckled, and for a moment you thought he was just going to blow it off. But then he didn't. "Because Jakotsu wasn't the only one who thought you were cute enough to keep."

You looked at him then, arching an eyebrow. "Oh, so I'm just _cute _now, huh? I distinctly remember you whispering something into my ear earlier about my, what was it, _unearthly beauty_."

He grinned at you. "And I was telling the truth. But at the time…" He trailed off, one hand tracing up the muscles in your arm and then coming to rest on your shoulder. "You improved upon further acquaintance."

You stuck your tongue out at him and he pounced, pushing it back into its proper place with his own.

And as you lay under the stars, wrapped in his arms, you knew _exactly_ why you'd fallen for him. And it didn't matter how you decided to handle it when the time came, because you were here now and that was all that mattered.

_I need a hero  
>I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light<br>He's gotta be sure  
>And it's gotta be soon<br>And he's gotta be larger than life..._

* * *

><p><em>Okay, I'll admit it... That was fun to write. I felt super conflicted about it for the first little bit (no idea why, I love villains) but I got over it and had a blast.<em>

_So thanks, Ika, for pushing me out of my usual comfort zone._

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Holding Out For A Hero" _belongs to: _Frou Frou _(and I realize there are other versions of this song, but this is the one I used.)_

Inuyasha and its related characters _belong to:_ Rumiko Takahashi


	14. Kryptonite

_This just proves that I should not write things while I'm in an angsty mood. XD_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary<em>:** It was probably the big-brother vibe that you got from him that made you like being around him so much. The goofy grins and hair-ruffling and teasing and nudging and generally adorable behavior. The things he did that made you feel special, because you knew no one else ever got treated like that.

**_Pairing: _**Vash the Stampede/Reader

* * *

><p><em>If I go crazy then will you still<br>Call me Superman?  
>If I'm alive and well, will you be<br>There holding my hand?  
>I'll keep you by my side<br>With my superhuman might  
>Kryptonite...<em>

People knew him on sight now, when you walked into a town. They stared and pointed and whispered behind their hands. They gaped and gawked and generally just stood in shock and amazement as he walked by.

But they never knew who you were. The girl that followed him around and was always there to back him up or bail him out if things went south. The sidekick that always shook her head and rolled her eyes at his antics, but never turned her back on him.

It was probably the big-brother vibe that you got from him that made you like being around him so much. The goofy grins and hair-ruffling and teasing and nudging and generally adorable behavior. The things he did that made you feel special, because you knew no one else ever got treated like that.

You felt special when he caught your arm when you tripped or teased you when you checked out a boy on the other side of the bar, when he gave you _that_ look and never had to say anything along with it because that look worked wonders.

You stayed because you liked the way he treated you, the way he made you feel. You liked knowing that no matter what other people said or did, you would always get those looks from him because you were special to him.

And he was special to you too.

_I took a walk around the world  
>To ease my troubled mind<br>I left my body laying somewhere  
>In the sands of time<br>But I watched the world float  
>To the dark side of the moon<br>I feel there's nothing I can do…_

There were times when things went wrong, of course, and you tried to ignore the twisting in your stomach when you saw him stumble back in to wherever you were staying with a hand clutched to whatever wound he'd sustained and that crooked, sad smile plastered over his face.

He always apologized for worrying you, and you always told him to just stop it, because that wasn't helping. And then he'd give you a look that made your heart skip beats, and you hated that, because it wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair that he could just _look_ at you, and you felt yourself falling. It wasn't fair that you couldn't keep the flush from your face once he was safely asleep, and it _wasn't fair_ that you couldn't just curl up next to him and tell him how you felt.

The looks, the actions, the words, they all reminded you how much older he was, how _ancient_ his mind was behind that spiky blond hair and those soft, sea-foam eyes. How much he'd lived through and how much he would still have to go through before his time was over. How there was no way you'd ever end up together, because you were so naïve compared to him.

And you spent hours awake in the dead of night wishing you'd never met the man in the long red coat who'd stolen your heart so easily and kept you so close and yet never let you in further.

The man with secrets woven into his soul, who'd spent his entire life running and had never once slowed down.

The man who could crumble your walls with a single glance, and had stolen your heart with nothing more than a smile and a few soft words.

_I watched the world float  
>To the dark side of the moon<br>After all I knew it had to be  
>Something to do with you<br>I really don't mind what happens now and then  
>As long as you'll be my friend at the end...<em>

You'd made up your mind to get over Vash. To move on and try to find someone else who could make you feel just as special as the infamous Humanoid Typhoon.

But whenever you tried, you always found something wrong. Something lacking. And whenever you turned to look back at your companion there was a look in his eyes that you couldn't quite place, and you wondered if it had always been there, or if you'd put it there by not being by his side when he needed you.

You worried and fretted and wondered if you'd accidentally added a scar to his collection, and what it would look like if you'd been able to see it.

But he never said what was wrong, because that wasn't the kind of man Vash was. He still smiled and joked and ruffled your hair. Still chided you for one thing or another and still made you feel special even though you didn't feel like you deserved it anymore. He still gave you those looks, and your heart still skipped beats.

He was still the same even though you knew there was something going on just beneath the surface that wasn't pleasant or okay, and it bothered you that he never mentioned it.

And when he smiled at you, it cut you up inside, because you wanted so badly to smile right back, but you couldn't anymore, because some things were never going to be the same after this.

_You called me strong, you called me weak,  
>But still your secrets I will keep<br>You took for granted all the times  
>I never let you down<br>You stumbled in and bumped your head,  
>If not for me then you'd be dead<br>I picked you up and put you back  
>On solid ground...<em>

You got reckless after that. You threw yourself into senseless battles, and suddenly Vash was the one pulling you back from the edge instead of the other way around.

You'd stay up so late you'd get slap-happy, and start saying things that normally would never have come out of your mouth, and you saw the tiny line that formed between his eyebrows when he helped you to bed, and you wanted to kiss it away and tell him to stop it, because that was supposed to be your job.

He worried about everyone, whether he knew them by name or not, and someone had to worry about him for a change or else he'd just fade into the distance one day and be forgotten, and that would be a tragedy.

So you clawed your way back to sanity and placed your feet firmly on the ground and reminded yourself that no matter what happened, no matter how fast your pulse raced or how many beats your heart skipped, Vash was worth sticking by because someone had to look after him, and you didn't trust anyone else with the job.

Those smiles came back, and that line between his eyebrows finally eased away, and he went back to being himself. But there was something there that you hadn't noticed before, and one night when he was a little tipsy, you pressed your lips to his in order to find out what it was.

He pushed you away, stammering about how he didn't want to hurt you, and getting you involved would only end in sadness, and he loved you more than anything and _never_ wanted you to be put in jeopardy.

You told him you were already involved and that he was an idiot for thinking otherwise.

And he gave you that look that you'd seen a thousand times, the one that spoke volumes and volumes of silent feeling, and pulled you into a hug that was tighter and warmer than any of the others, because he'd finally given in.

He'd finally stopped fighting, and whispered into your ear all the things he'd been keeping back. All the times he'd wanted to tell you how he felt, or wanted to kiss you because you deserved it, or the times he'd nearly screamed because he thought he'd lost you to one foe or another.

You whispered back secrets of your own, telling him of all the times his smiles had taken your breath away, or when he'd given you one of his notorious looks and you wanted to drag him off to your room and not let him out for a week. You told him it had killed you inside to see him pretend you were never more than a friend.

He told you that you _were_ a friend. The _best_ of friends. The one he hoped would never leave him, because he hated saying goodbye, and he'd miss you more than anything.

And you laughed and promised him with kisses and hushed whispers that you'd always be by his side, because there was no one else who could compare.

He'd gone four shades of red and greatly resembled his coat by the time he finally pulled you over to the bed and passed out with you in his arms.

And for the first time in a long time, you didn't spend any time worrying about him, because you knew that he was yours, and you were his, and you'd always be each other's.

_If I go crazy then will you still  
>Call me Superman?<br>If I'm alive and well, will you be  
>There holding my hand?<br>I'll keep you by my side  
>With my superhuman might<br>Kryptonite..._

* * *

><p><em>I warned you!<em>

_And style points for moi for once again writing this without a single line of dialog. ^_^_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Kryptonite" _belongs to: _3 Doors Down

Trigun and its related characters _belong to:_ Yasuhiro Nightow


	15. Keep Your Heart Broken

_You thought I'd forgotten him, didn't you? ;P_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary<strong>_: Over the years you'd grown closer and more attached until one day you realized that the pounding of your heart had nothing to do with the game of tag you'd just finished playing, and everything to do with the way Edward was looking at you as he tried to catch his breath.

**_Pairing: _**Edward Elric/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Forever and after my love<em>  
><em>Just promise to keep your heart broken...<em>

You'd grown up with those blond boys.

The two bright-eyed, brilliant-minded brothers who'd turned the most mundane materials into the most fantastical creations imaginable. They'd try to one-up each other to prove to you which one was better, but you never told them what you thought.

You didn't want to have favorites, even though you knew who you would have praised more if you could have.

You and the boys and Winry were inseparable in your childhood, and you'd done everything together. You'd played and pouted, gotten into and out of trouble nearly too often for your own good, spent days out under the blue sky doing nothing but breathing, because real friends didn't have to say anything in order to communicate.

Over the years you'd grown closer and more attached until one day you realized that the pounding of your heart had nothing to do with the game of tag you'd just finished playing, and everything to do with the way Edward was looking at you as he tried to catch his breath.

You turned to Winry for answers, and she gave you the brightest grin imaginable as she told you rather flatly that you were in love.

You hadn't been able to look at Ed the same way after that, no matter how hard you tried, and sometimes you wondered if he could tell, or if he was just growing up as well.

But before you could ever tell him how you felt, how he made your heart pound and your mind whirl out of control, everything had gone wrong for him and his brother, and when you went to the Rockbell's home the next day, the boys you'd grown up with were no longer the ones who sat in Pinako's kitchen as she softly explained to you what had happened.

And the way Edward looked at you broke your heart, because that hope and light had left his eyes, and you could only hope that it would come back one of these days.

_Enfolding your love in my heart_  
><em>By the dawn I'll be gone<em>  
><em>The road keeps us apart<em>  
><em>For some time I'll be gone...<em>

You tried to put on a brave face for the boys every time they came home, but as time passed it got harder to smile and pretend like everything was peachy.

You struggled to keep your countenance clear, and when Ed caught you on the roof one night, you tried so hard to not let how you were feeling show, but his Automail caught the moonlight, and you couldn't keep your question in any longer.

"Does it hurt?"

He looked surprised, but smiled all the same. "Of course not." You gave him a look that he knew from your youth, and he chuckled. "Okay, fine… A little." He shrugged, inspecting his right arm. "I've gotten used to it, though…"

You frowned, pulling your knees up to your chest and looking out over the dark scenery. "I don't like you being in pain." You muttered, not looking at him. "I don't like knowing you might be sad."

You jumped when a warm shoulder brushed against yours. "Stop worrying about me, would you? You're not doing anyone any good."

You looked at him out of the corner of your eye, willing your heart to keep its steady rhythm and not get out of hand. "It makes me feel better…"

He laughed at that, shoulders shaking from the force of it. "How does worrying about me make you feel better?" He asked, ruffling you hair with one hand.

You blushed lightly under the ministrations and huffed softly. "Just… Make it back in one piece, okay?"

He grinned. "If I came home any other way, Winry would murder me."

You laughed, nudging him in the ribs. "Yeah, she won't be the only one."

_You promised to swallow your tears when I leave you_  
><em>You promised to follow the leads I will give you<em>  
><em>You said you would crawl in the dark from the laughter<em>  
><em>You said you would long after me ever after...<em>

It had taken a while for Ed to finally get the hint that you liked him more than when you were kids terrorizing the countryside.

But when he did, he was reduced to the cutest, blushing bit of goo you'd ever seen, and you decided that you could forgive him for taking so long to figure it out.

"You… You like me?" He'd been shocked, his face still a light pink even after ten minutes of sitting in silence and letting the revelation sink in.

"Yeah…" You were trying not to laugh at him, aware that he'd just be more embarrassed if you did.

"S-so… What do you want to do about it?"

You did laugh then. Here sat Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, one of the youngest and most brilliant alchemists of the age, who would throw himself into battle without batting an eyelash, but was flustered by the thought that a girl liked him.

"Don't laugh! This is serious!"

You tried to stop the giggles slipping past your lips, tried to reign in your amusement at his wide eyes and bright pink cheeks, but you just couldn't.

He let out an annoyed huff, grabbed your arms, and pulled you into a very sloppy kiss. He was pulling away nearly as quickly as he'd pulled you to him, and he stared at his shoes. "So… I like you too."

You grinned and pulled him into a hug. "So glad to hear it, Ed."

He hugged you back, and you could feel his heartbeat thundering against your chest. "Just… Don't stop liking me, okay?"

You laughed again, softly this time, and held onto him even more tightly. "Okay."

_Days go by like the wind_  
><em>And this life is too short<em>  
><em>It makes no sense to give in<em>  
><em>To release you from my thoughts<em>  
><em>I promised to write you, I'll always remember<em>  
><em>I promised to try to be back 'til December<em>  
><em>I said I must go, I must face this disaster<em>  
><em>I said I would come after you ever after...<em>

You told Edward that you didn't mind it when he phoned instead of coming to visit. You told him that hearing from him like this was better than not hearing from him at all, and you really didn't mind.

But of course, you did.

It hurt when you heard that signature tone in his voice that told you he wouldn't be coming back again for a while, even though he tried to make it up to you by promising to stay for longer the next time he dropped by, or by offering to pay your way up to Central so you could see him.

When he did drop by, it was always for repairs, and the time you got to spend together was always cut short by one thing or another cropping up, and you savored the moments you two managed to steal away.

You told him to stop making you promises about staying when you knew he couldn't, but you liked hearing him tell you how much he missed you every time he pressed whispers to your ear.

He wasn't overly romantic in his affections, but that suited you just fine, and you loved the little things he did do, like holding your hand or pressing chaste kisses to your shoulder. It was his smile that made your heart pound, and the way his bright eyes could slowly take you apart like one of his many alchemical recipes.

It was his promises that gave you hope, because you knew he meant it when he told you that he would get his body back and come home to you.

You knew he meant it when he told you he loved you and that no matter what he always would.

And you meant it when you told him that right back.

"You really mean that?" He asked one night as you lay on Winry's roof and looked up at the stars. "I mean… Even the metal bits of me?"

You'd smiled and pulled him closer. "Even the metal bits of you."

_My love will grow black if your heart gets stolen_  
><em>Just promise to keep your heart<em>  
><em>One day I'll come back if the door's still open<em>  
><em>Just promise to keep your heart broken...<em>

* * *

><p><em>X3<em>

_This song suits him quite well, I think. Thanks to _Methodical Madness_ for the suggestion._

* * *

><p><em>The song<em> "Keep Your Heart Broken" _belongs to:_ The Rasmus

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters _belong to: _Hiromu Arakawa


	16. I Want To Hold Your Hand

_Been meaning to do this one for a while, actually... Sorry it took me so long to get around to it._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**After that, you started noticing every time Suzaku touched you, even though it had never been a big deal before. It was casual and commonplace, but you noticed every time it happened. And you only ever noticed it with him.

**_Pairing_:** Suzaku Kururugi/Reader_  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>Oh yeah, I'll tell you something<br>I think you'll understand  
>When I say that something<br>I wanna hold your hand..._

You'd hated growing up as a privileged child. You knew there were people who would kill for a life like yours, but you weren't one of them, and you clung to the hope that you'd be able to do something better with your life than sit around with stuffy aristocrats and sip tea like a perfect git.

The rebellions you'd pulled off were small, at first. Not wearing the dress your maid had laid out for you, or running about with the gardener's son instead of staying inside with your mother and sisters, and then there had been the incident with the fish pond, and your father had finally had it.

He didn't know that sending you away to school would be the best thing he could have done for you, but you weren't about to let him in on that little secret just yet, and you wailed and sobbed when he announced your sentence, but grinned the moment you set foot on the campus.

There were worse places to spend an allotted exile, and you had to admit that even though this place was a little stuffy, it beat embroidery with your siblings by a long shot.

You fit in with a certain sort of crowd and made friends easily, even managing to get onto the student committee without really meaning to.

You were having real fun for the first time in a long time, and the fact that you could laugh here without people sending you glares made you want to giggle even more.

You'd gotten on with the other committee members, and when your dear President was away on one thing or another, they always elected you to take her place until she got back.

You could let your imagination wander here; let your craziest ideas come to life because they _got it_. They understood that you were still just a kid, and you just wanted to have fun when you weren't busy studying your tail off.

They understood that there was a reason why you never talked about your family, and told them they were the only siblings you ever needed, because it was basically true.

_Oh, please, say to me  
>You'll let me be your man<br>And please, say to me  
>You'll let me hold your hand...<em>

The first time it happened, it was for a completely legitimate reason.

You'd been minding your own business in the courtyard when Rivalz came rushing around a corner on his moped, having lost control, and Suzaku had snatched you out of the way.

His hand on yours had been one thing, tugging you out of the way with a shout of your name, but colliding into him and tumbling onto the ground had been another entirely.

You'd been trying not to blush up a storm as he gave you his usual soft smile and asked if you were alright.

You'd managed to stutter out a partial reply when Rivalz had appeared over Suzaku's shoulder and apologized profusely for nearly running you down in the first place.

You'd told them both it was fine and not to worry and then ran for your life, because your heart shouldn't have kept pounding like that after your life was out of immediate danger.

After that, you started noticing every time Suzaku touched you, even though it had never been a big deal before.

Every time he gently caught your arm to pull you aside and tell you something, all the smallest little brushes of your shoulder against his, the friction caused by his cheek against yours when he leaned in over your shoulder a little too closely, the way your stomach leapt a foot in the air when he put a hand on the small of your back for whatever reason.

It was casual and commonplace, but you noticed every time it happened. And you only ever noticed it with him.

Lelouch could do any number of things, making contact with you in the process and you wouldn't think about it twice, but when _Suzaku_ touched you, your heart started to run a mile a minute, and you couldn't think straight.

And then you started to notice all the other things Suzaku did as well, and you wanted to know when he'd first started smiling at you so softly and holding doors for you and being such a _gentleman_, because no one else on campus acted that way.

You started thanking him every time he did open the door, and smiling back, and wondering why you'd never noticed how green his eyes were until right now.

And you wondered why you were blushing thinking about those eyes as they looked across the table at you with that soft smile lurking just a little below them.

_And when I touch you I feel happy, inside  
>It's such a feeling<br>That my love  
>I can't hide...<em>

You'd known, deep down, that asking Milly for help would be a bad idea, but you'd done it anyway, not willing to risk asking Shirley and having her say something to Suzaku on accident.

So there you were, head in your hands as you sat on the end of your bed, waiting for her to come back from making you tea.

But it wasn't Milly that opened the door a moment later, and when you looked up to find a soft smile and green eyes directed your way, you nearly burnt up with the force of your blush.

"Hey, Milly asked me to bring this by… Are you feeling okay?"

You blinked multiple times before you mentally saw an image of a smugly grinning Milly and realized what she'd done. "Ah, yeah… Just been feeling a bit off, lately."

He frowned and put a hand to your forehead, looking concerned as the tea was deposited gently on the bedside table. "Well you are kind of hot…"

You stared at him. "What?"

"You feel like you might have a temperature… Lie down, okay; I'll be right back with some cool towels." He'd guided you gently onto your back and slipped off your shoes for you, smiling all the while, and when he'd finally left, you'd turned an even brighter shade of red than you'd thought possible.

You'd let yourself be babied for the rest of the day, enjoying the attention more than you'd ever be willing to admit, and tried not to say or do anything super embarrassing as Suzaku sat next to your bed and talked to you.

"By the way, Milly told me what's been bothering you." He said softly, just as you'd thought you might be able to get through the rest of the day without incident.

You'd spit your tea back into your mug and looked up at him. "O-oh?"

"Does it really bother you? The… Contact, I mean…"

You turned another unhealthy shade of red and shook your head. "I don't mind it at all… I," you grinned sheepishly, "I really enjoy it, actually."

It was his turn to go pink in the face, and his eyes went a bit wider than was normal. "Oh."

"Yeah."

He smiled again, soft as always, and took your hand in his. "So you don't mind this?" You shook your head, and he slipped closer, eyes no longer wide but brighter than usual, his free hand landing lightly on your side. "And you don't mind this?" Again you shook your head, and again he slipped closer, lips coming dangerously close to yours. "So you won't mind this…"

You couldn't really tell who leaned in first, pressing your lips together, but you didn't really care. His lips were as soft as his smile, and when he pulled away he was actually grinning for the first time since you'd met, and you grinned a bit yourself.

"I _definitely_ don't mind that."

_Yeah you, got that something  
>I think you'll understand<br>When I say that something  
>I wanna hold your hand...<em>

* * *

><p><em>I feel like this ending is super cheesy, but <em>_I really like it anyway. XD_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"I Want To Hold Your Hand" _belongs to: _The Beatles

Code Geass and its related characters _belong to: _Ichirō Ōkouchi


	17. Broken

_Just... Don't kill me for this, okay?_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_You would slip out of your barracks at night and go see the boys you'd befriended, because they were the ones who would stay up late playing poker and trading stories. They were the ones who reminded you why you'd left your family and joined this group of misfits. They were the ones who made you feel alive.

_**Pairing: **_Maes Hughes/Reader

* * *

><p><em>'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome<br>And I don't feel right when you're gone away..._

You and your parents had never seen eye-to-eye about most things, but you'd made up your mind to put up with it until you were of age, and then you could leave and never look back. You could whisk off into the night with no regrets, and be your own person for the first time in your life.

And when you'd run away from home, you'd thought it was for a good reason. To get away from your controlling parents, your jealous siblings, your life in general. But you'd just put the problem into a box, not fixed it entirely, and it took a drunk at a bar telling you that for it to really sink in.

You called your parents and told them you wouldn't be coming home, and when they asked why, you answered with the first thing that popped into your head.

"I'm joining the military."

Your father had yelled and your mother had cried, and you'd decided that maybe this spur-of-the-moment decision wasn't the worst thing after all.

So you hung up, ordered another drink, and headed to the nearest recruitment office you could find in order to sign your life away.

But this time around, not being in control of your destiny seemed to not be such a bad thing, because when you walked into the barracks for the first time, a fluttering heartbeat wavering in your chest, you were greeted with grins and claps on the back, and you felt at home for the first time since you could remember.

You made it through basic training without too many bruises, and when you and your new-found friends went for drinks you would always offer to buy a round, because even though your parents didn't like your decision, they apparently refused to let their runaway daughter be destitute.

You would slip out of your barracks at night and go see the boys you'd befriended, because they were the ones who would stay up late playing poker and trading stories. They were the ones who reminded you why you'd left your family and joined this group of misfits.

They were the ones who made you feel alive.

_I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh  
>I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away<br>I keep your photograph, I know it serves me well  
>I wanna hold you high and steal your pain...<em>

"Okay, okay, that's _enough_, man! If you take any more pictures we're going to go blind."

You had looked up in time to see Roy snatching the camera away from his friend, the other pouting at the action. "Hey, that's the only one I've got! And you are only going to go blind if you look right at the flash, which you would have to be an _idiot_ to do."

Roy tossed you the camera and you caught it, grinning as you turned it onto the two boys. "Come on, smile!"

They obediently gave you similar cheesy grins and managed to crack their heads together as they leaned in close enough to fit into the frame. You laughed as you let the shutter snap closed and freeze the memory in place on the film.

"I want a copy of that one." You said with a grin, handing the camera back to Maes. "It's practically the only time I get to see you two not fighting."

Roy folded his arms over his chest, scoffing. "Blame him, I'm practically Mr. Congeniality."

Both you and Maes stared at him as he continued to nod solemnly to himself, clearly trying not to laugh and break character.

"We should just send you into the front lines then, Roy," you teased, winking at Maes, "that way you could just talk the enemy into submission."

Maes gave you a grin and nodded along. "Yeah, yeah, then we could all go home and not worry about people marching into our lands."

Roy rolled his eyes at that, snatching the camera from him and motioning the two of you together. "Come on, come on, it's only fair. Besides, Maes has been dying to get a picture of you, I swear," Mustang grinned, "he probably wants to put it under his pillow."

Maes went pink in the face, mouth opening and closing ineffectively before you pulled him closer and grinned at the camera lens. "Oh, I'm not surprised. I'm quite the keeper."

Roy waggled his eyebrows and waited for Maes to manage a grin before he clicked the shutter down and then handed the camera back to his friend. "Aren't you just? I'm surprised people aren't lining up at his door asking for copies."

Maes rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, like I'd let them have any."

You and Roy shared a significant look before you laid into him, teasing. "Oh," you asked as you scooted closer, "and why is that?"

"You wouldn't be jealous, would you?" Roy asked seriously. "Because, after all, it's just a picture."

Hughes frowned at the both of you. "I just mean that she'd have to give them out herself… I'm in no position to distribute them out like that."

You leaned over and pecked his cheek, pulling away in time to see him color up. "Sure you aren't, sweetheart." And then you laughed again as he refused to look you in the eye.

It wasn't until you were slipping back out of the boy's barracks, and you noticed the way he watched you go and the cheesy smirk plastered over Roy's face, that you realized that maybe Roy had been more right than he'd first imagined.

_The worst is over now and we can breathe again  
>I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away<br>There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight  
>I wanna hold you high and steal your pain...<em>

The Civil War had been a bloody awful business.

People had died; even more had been scarred in ways that would never fade, and the survivors had been forced to bury the bodies of their comrades and the memories of the long nights and even longer days of patrols and raids and wishing the fighting would just _end_.

As you looked at the faded photograph of your platoon before the war had begun, you started to wonder if that spur-of-the-moment decision had been the best one after all.

But then you remembered the good times instead of the bad, and figured that yeah, it had been worth it.

You thumbed through the rest of the album, laughing as you came across some of your favorite snapshots and wondering how many of these Maes had managed to hand out before everyone had fled the battlefield.

A knock on your door pulled you out of your thoughts, and you set the album down on the coffee table as you moved over to the door, opening it a crack as you peered out at the person who stood on the other side.

Maes looked worn at the edges, like an article of clothing that had been put through the dryer too many times, and his usually bright smile was faded as he aimed it your way. "Hey, I know it's late, but… Can I come in?"

You tugged him over the threshold and into a hug that he looked like he needed, laughing softly into his shoulder as you shut the door. "You can always come in, Maes."

He hugged back and sighed into your hair as you stood that way for a little while before he spotted the album on the table and let out a groan. "Oh please tell me you weren't looking through that old thing." He muttered, moving over to it.

You grinned as you joined him, plopping back into your seat. "Well obviously. You never went anywhere without that camera of yours. There's a lot of things in here I'm pretty sure our CO's didn't even know about."

He grinned. "That's the beauty of barracks life. Your superiors only find out what you want them to know…" He flipped back a few pages until he found the one of you two that Roy had taken one night. "I never did get to tell you how much I liked having you sneak in to see us." He said softly, running a finger over the edge of the portrait. "It made us both feel like we meant something."

"Probably because you do." You pointed out softly. "And stop sounding like that's changed. If we were still on base _I_ would have been the one to ask _you_ if I could come in."

He grinned. "Since when do you ever ask?"

You nudged him in the ribs. "Shut-up. And while I'm thinking about it, why are you here?"

"Do you want me to shut-up or answer, because I can't do both." He winked.

You stuck your tongue out at him. "Answer me."

"I missed you."

You blinked at the honesty of his answer, and raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. It's not the same without my very favorite super-stealthy-spy sneaking into my room every night to play poker with me." He chuckled. "And besides, Roy's gotten all sour-mouthed and serious since we came home. It's a _sickness_, I tell you!"

You laughed. "You're a sickness…"

"Your _face_ is a sickness." He replied in a deadly serious voice. "And I think I might have caught a really bad case of it."

"You caught a really bad case of my face? That sounds serious, Maes, maybe we should take you to the hospital."

He gave you a look that you repelled with a bright grin. "You know what I mean."

"Actually I haven't a clue what you mean; you're going to have to be a lot more obvious about it."

He leant forward and kissed you, and you decided that was about as obvious as you could get in this situation.

Not that you were complaining, of course.

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open  
>And I don't feel like I am strong enough<br>'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
>And I don't feel right when you're gone away...<em>

Roy always teased you by saying that you were joined at the hip.

You always retorted with pointing out that he was still single, and it usually shut him up.

He wasn't far off, though, because you and Maes rarely left each other's company, and never for very long.

Not that you minded, of course, but the looks a certain _Mr. Congeniality_ would send your way always managed to make you flinch.

Maes had done the beautifully decent thing and asked you to marry him, and you'd accepted without thinking twice about it because you really hated the thought of being somewhere not with him.

You worked in an office at the military base, and tried not to yawn every time people asked you how you were, because you _were_ relieved that Roy and Maes had pulled the proper strings to get you off active duty. It would have been a lie to say that you loved the mundane atmosphere that you worked in, but it beat dodging bullets any day.

And when your day was finally over, and you trudged home and closed the door with a sigh, you were always greeted with a kiss and a warm hug, and a pair of bright eyes beaming at you over the top of an even brighter smile.

And when a soft whisper of _welcome home_ was placed to your ear as you stood there and enjoyed the warmth, you nearly melted, because you'd always felt like you belonged with him, and after all this time you finally did.

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
>And I don't feel right when you're gone away...<em>

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><p><em>This was originally going to be someone else's song, but then I was struck with inspiration and just couldn't help myself. XD<em>

_Like I said, please don't kill me..._

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><p><em>The song <em>"Broken" _belongs to: _Seether

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters_ belong to: _Hiromu Arakawa


	18. Head Over Feet

_I swear I'm gonna try to update more frequently from now on!_

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><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_A small frown marred his features for a moment before it vanished again. "I must warn you, though… I already have guests staying with me." Your gaze traveled across the room to where the two darker skinned men were standing, watching the world whirl past in awe. "Yes, I am aware…" You smirked slightly. "I think it would be a pleasure to get to know them better."

**_Pairing:_** Prince Soma/Reader_  
><em>

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><p><em>I had no choice but to hear you<br>You stated your case time and again  
>I thought about it...<em>

Throughout the years, throughout the balls and teas and smiles and curtsies, you'd always managed to keep your head down. People knew who you were by association, recognized your name, but never really paid attention to what you did out in the world, and you wouldn't have had it any other way.

The Phantomhive family wasn't the only one with ties to the underworld, after all.

Not that you were the one who took carriage rides to shady parts of town in the middle of the night, or the one who pulled the strings like a puppet master and made all your marionettes dance.

Of course that wasn't you.

You were the only daughter of a nobleman who'd recently passed away and left you a considerable inheritance. You were the now highly-sought-after young lady with money and no mind to marry. You were the special guest of Earl Phantomhive himself at this most recent gala, and you were the woman who was trying not to roll your eyes in sync with your host at the monotony of the evening's festivities.

"How _do_ you manage to attend these things on a regular basis?" Ciel asked you softly as you took a turn across the dance floor with him, trying not to grin at the looks you were receiving from the other young ladies.

"I grin and bear it." You replied with a sly wink.

He rolled his eyes at that, but you caught the tiny smirk that flitted over his lips as the song finally swirled to an end, and he saw you back to your seat. "I believe, if it is not to forward of me, that it would be most beneficial if you spent the night." He murmured as he stood next to you. "I know those headaches of yours can be quite crippling, and I would be a terrible host if I let you simply make your own way home."

You smiled brightly up at him. "How kind of you, Earl Phantomhive, but what am I to tell my footman?"

"Oh, I would be more than willing to see you home myself tomorrow, once you're rested."

The banter that passed between you wasn't exactly necessary, you knew what Ciel meant when he said you should stay and you knew he would take you home, but to the casual observer it would seem as though your conversation was completely above board, and no one would ever be the wiser.

The fact that you were not only one of Funtom's number one investors, but also a very good friend of Lizzy's, helped alleviate the amount of gossip that traveled throughout the gentry about yourself and Ciel.

"What a kind offer," you replied with a smile, "I would be most honored to accept."

A small frown marred his features for a moment before it vanished again. "I must warn you, though… I already have guests staying with me."

Your gaze traveled across the room to where the two darker skinned men were standing, watching the world whirl past in awe. "Yes, I am aware…" You smirked slightly. "I think it would be a pleasure to get to know them better."

_You treat me like I'm a princess  
>I'm not used to liking that<br>You ask how my day was..._

Normally when you made your way down to breakfast, Sebastian was waiting to pull your chair out for you, a pleasant smile and _good morning_ on his lips, and you would return the greeting before tucking into whatever meal had been prepared.

But this morning, unlike every other morning in the Phantomhive household, you were greeted by a large grin and a pair of golden eyes staring intently across the table at you. "Good morning!"

You blinked at the Prince sitting across from you, wondering why on earth he was looking so thoroughly chipper this early in the morning. "Good morning."

He stood and moved around the table in order to tug your chair carefully out for you, still smiling brightly. "Did you sleep well?"

You moved your gaze from the chair, to his face, back to the chair, and then blinked twice in quick succession before you sat down. "Quite well, thank you… Did you?"

He slid your chair in perfectly behind you, following your movements smoothly. "Well enough, I think, but perhaps not long enough." He was still smiling as he moved back to his seat and plopped back into it. "And I suggest you get to the sausages before Ciel comes and eats them all."

You smiled at that, and poured yourself a cup of tea. As you lifted the cup to your lips, the sudden realization that an Indian _Prince_ had just pulled your chair out for you made you freeze in the movement, and stare blankly at him as he continued to devour the aforementioned sausages.

He noticed and looked up, blinking. "Is something the matter? I know Agni isn't as used to your English teas as he is to our own, but I thought he'd…" He trailed off as you set your teacup back down with a soft clatter.

"Forgive me, your highness; I believe my headache just returned." You stood and he swiftly followed suit, although a little more clumsily. "If you see Ciel please tell him I've returned to the room he provided for me."

As you hurried out the door, trying not to look back, you missed the soft whisper that was directed your way.

"You can call me Soma, you know."

_You've already won me over in spite of me  
>And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet<br>Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are  
>I couldn't help it<br>It's all your fault..._

You blamed Sebastian for what happened next.

It wasn't exactly his fault, but you took pleasure in blaming him anyway.

If the bloody devil had just _kept his mouth shut_, then you would never have thought twice about what Soma was wearing, or what might be lurking just beneath the fabric, and you wouldn't be in your current predicament.

But no. Sebastian had found it necessary to mention a thing called Henna that apparently was quite the thing in some countries.

India included.

And now you couldn't take your eyes off the richly colored clothes of the boy across the room from you, and you were blaming Sebastian for it.

The idea that, lurking on that wonderfully dark skin just under those wonderfully bright clothes, there might be filigree patterns trailing over the Prince's skin made your mind whirl with the possibilities, and you really couldn't help the images that came to mind.

Sebastian was blamed for that too, because he'd found it necessary to also mention the types of patterns most often used, and you thought that Soma would look excellent with lacy veins of dark brown swirling over his skin.

You averted your eyes for probably the thirtieth time that afternoon, and you heard Ciel snort softly from his seat across the table from you. "You realize that you're going to lose if you don't pay attention, don't you?" He asked softly, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"You do realize that I can do more than one thing at a time, don't you?" You shot back.

He smiled placidly. "I had no idea you were capable of undressing a Prince with your eyes and carrying on a game of chess at the same time. Wonders clearly never cease."

You felt the flush rise into your face before you could stop it, and Soma's voice sounded across the quiet parlor. "Ciel, what are you doing to your poor guest?"

"Oh I hardly think I'm the one behind it," the blue-eyed boy replied with another smirk, "it must be something else bothering her."

You would have kicked him under the table if you'd thought you could get away with it without Soma seeing you, but it wasn't possible. Instead, you looked back at the chess board and tried to calm your breathing. You snatched one of Ciel's knights, which you imagined he might have let you have, and then glared at him. "Your turn."

He frowned slightly, studying the board, and you tried not to stare too much as Soma calmly and gracefully bent over the back of Ciel's chair and stared at the black-and-white board as well.

"You'll have to teach me how to play some time." He said simply, shaking his head.

And oh. _Oh_.

Your eyes had darted to the neckline of his shirt when he'd bent forward, curiosity getting the better of you when given such a perfect opportunity, and you felt your heart start to flutter in an unhealthy way when you saw the tail end of a swirl of darker brown over one side of his chest.

Your head swam for a moment, and from what you thought might have been a very long way off, you heard Ciel tell you that it was your turn.

"This will have to wait…" You managed to mumble, struggling to your feet and ignoring both hands that were offered to you. "I'm afraid I've just developed the most horrible migraine."

Ciel's smirk could have curdled milk, but Soma merely looked concerned, and you wondered if you fainted if he'd be able to catch you.

And you decided that sort of thinking really wasn't healthy and you should stop it at once before you actually _did_ faint.

_Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole  
>You're so much braver than I gave you credit for<br>That's not lip service..._

It was the small things with Soma. The little looks he'd give you across the room or the dinner table, the way he would look like a hopeful puppy when he asked you to play a game with him, the tiny gifts that would magically appear on your bedside table without warning when you'd return from a day out with Ciel.

It was comfortable, whatever this was, and you'd smile and laugh and thank him softly in hallways when no one else was around.

He would wave it off, say it was nothing, but you could tell that it meant something to him when you returned the attention. Meant even more when you got him something in return, and were then subjected to exuberant hugs that should honestly never be given to someone like you by someone like him.

It was the nights he'd knock on your door in order to say goodnight, and linger there a little longer than was strictly necessary just so that he could be around you, that made you smile until you fell asleep and sometimes even dream of him.

And when you were awake and not about to fall asleep, he would be right there, always smiling, and you decided that was the best thing for him, because you never wanted him to have to see the side of the world that you or Ciel did, because someone so full of light shouldn't be subjected to the shadows.

But when you came back to the house and collapsed into a chair, he was right there to cheer you up, and you thought that maybe that was his way of being brave, because no one had ever tried to take you on right after a job, but he could, because he had something none of them had ever had.

_You are the bearer of unconditional things  
>You held your breath and the door for me<br>Thanks for your patience..._

"It's… It's never half-way with you, is it?"

A pair of confused golden eyes met yours, and there was a frown line forming between his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

He was perched on the end of your bed, clearly attempting to keep his hands to himself, and had up until then been staring intently at the cards in his hand.

"I mean," you said softly, leaning forward to place a card onto the playing field, "that you don't do things half-heartedly. If you decide to do something, you do it all the way."

He smiled. "I thought that was a good thing? There are a lot of people nowadays that aren't so dedicated." He played a card atop yours, gaze returning to the game.

"I'm not denying that," you hastened to explain, "it's just a little surprising is all."

"Why?"

"Because you seem like the sort of person who could be as careless as he wanted, but you aren't." You smiled slightly. "You actually care about the people you meet, even though you'd be within your rights to just pass over them."

"I'm not a crown prince, you know." He muttered, going a bit pink at the praise. "It's not like I'm even a prince _here_, either…"

"But you're still a gentleman, and that's what matters." You smiled brightly. "I mean really, how many woman can brag about the fact that they've had the door held for them by a prince?"

He chuckled. "Not many, I'll give you that."

You leant forward, surprising him, and pressed a kiss lightly to his forehead. "Thank you."

"For what?" His voice was barely above a whisper, and you couldn't hold back a smile.

"For everything, Soma."

He suddenly beamed at you. "You called me by my name!" He grabbed you by the shoulders and pulled you into a hug, his hand of cards scattering across your bed. "Finally, you called me by my name!"

You laughed into his shoulder, trying to find a way to hug him back without falling into his lap, but he suddenly held you away at arm's length, cheeks once again dusted pink.

"You… You wouldn't mind if I stayed, would you?"

You blinked. "Of course not. Why would I…" You trailed off, noticing the way his blush merely got brighter. "You meant spend the night, didn't you?"

He gave you a shaky nod and you smiled sweetly.

"How could I resist you, _your_ _highness_?"

He huffed, folding his arms over his chest and pouting cutely, and you instantly laughed and leaned in closer in an attempt to kiss away his frown.

You were quite successful.

_You're the best listener that I've ever met  
>You're my best friend<br>Best friend with benefits  
>What took me so long...<em>

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><p><em>This was fun to write. And done all in one sitting from 2:30-4:00 am. XD<em>

_Tellin', ain't it?_

_Thanks to _Methodical Madness_ for suggesting this song._

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><p><em>The song<em> "Head Over Feet" _belongs to: _Alanis Morissette

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to:_ Yana Toboso


	19. Mr Sandman

_Finally I get around to this one! XD It's about time!_

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><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**There was no lack of admirers ready to fall to their knees in your presence should you ask them to, but that wasn't really what you were looking for. You wanted a man with backbone and a brilliant sense of humor, and you were planning to get one no matter what tricks you had to try in order to do it. The boss, although he was adorable and commanding, was clearly out. In fact, as you looked around the crowded mess hall, you decided most of these boys would be out.

**_Pairing:_**Jean Havoc/Reader

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><p><em>Sandman, I'm so alone<br>Don't have nobody to call my own  
>Please turn on your magic beam<br>Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream..._

Growing up in Amestris as the only child of two of the most renowned alchemists in the country was not what you would have called an easy childhood. But, to balance it out, you were actually quite good at transmuting, so the rigorous training they put you through was made easier by your natural talent.

You were changing dimes into tiny dogs by the age of six, and by the time you were sixteen, you'd already signed your soul away and joined the army as a State Alchemist.

Your parent's choice, not yours.

You didn't really mind it all that much, though, given that you could spend hours looking up obscure things in the library, or spend your research money on some of the most frivolous things you could imagine, all in the name of science.

And when you turned twenty four and were assigned to work under Colonel Mustang, you thought your world might end, because suddenly you had to be responsible with your time and money.

And you really hated having to be responsible.

It was a sneaky, devious way for your parents to keep an eye on you and make sure you spent your adult years doing something constructive with your time, but you personally disliked their blatant lack of faith in you, and complained loudly of the unfairness of your condition every chance you got, just to get under their skin.

In reality, though, you never would have had it any other way.

You were happy, content, and actually way more responsible than your parents would have guessed you could be.

You had _real_ friends for the first time ever, since you weren't stuck doing alchemical drills with your mother or traveling around with your dad, and had finally settled down in a comfortable niche you'd carved out all for your own.

A niche that, you discovered, was a little lonely at times despite the friends you'd made.

_Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream  
>Make him the cutest that I've ever seen<br>Give him two lips like roses and clover  
>Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over...<em>

There was no lack of admirers ready to fall to their knees in your presence should you ask them to, but that wasn't really what you were looking for.

You wanted a man with backbone and a brilliant sense of humor, and you were planning to get one no matter what tricks you had to try in order to do it.

The boss, although he was adorable and commanding, was clearly out.

In fact, as you looked around the crowded mess hall, you decided most of these boys would be out.

So it was with a sigh and a roll of your eyes that you slipped into the seat next to a certain brightly smiling blond and began stabbing your food mercilessly.

"Whoa, stand clear men, we have a live one!"

You elbowed Havoc as he called out to the others at the table, but couldn't keep your smile down. "Yeah, and if you want to be one too, you'll shut your mouth."

He pulled a face. "Hey now, what's with the sour attitude, kid? You're usually the ray of light in our otherwise dismal lives."

You wanted to roll your eyes at that, but you knew it to be true. On more than one occasion Breda and Fury had told you the same thing… Although perhaps a little less eloquently. "Bad morning." You mumbled, deciding that Havoc was not the person to unload your dating problems onto.

A hand landed lightly on your head, ruffling your hair mercilessly. "Come on, cheer up, wouldja? The Elric brothers are coming to town, and you know how much fun they are to tease." He leaned in close, the hand falling away from your head to land on your shoulder as he whispered conspiratorially to you. "Would it cheer you up to prank them? Because I know a guy who could hook you up, if you wanted."

You gave him a sidelong look. "Havoc, you sound like a sketchy drug dealer." He looked wounded before you grinned and winked at him. "And yeah, I think that would probably make up for my abysmal morning."

He brightened instantly, leaning in even more closely so that you could practically feel his lips against your ear as he whispered to you. "Okay, so I had this idea… Alphonse is all metal, so it'd be mean to drag him into this, so it'll have to wait till Ed and the Colonel are alone in his office."

You blinked. "I'm going to enjoy this, aren't I?"

He winked. "That's the idea."

_Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream  
>Make him the cutest that I've ever seen<br>Give him the word that I'm not a rover  
>Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over...<em>

You swore this was the last time.

The last time you pulled a prank this elaborate on _your boss_, and tried not to laugh as you walked innocently into the meeting Mustang called after he'd had a chance to change out of his drenched uniform, and find clothing in Ed's size that wouldn't drown him or make him look like even more of a child than he already did.

You _swore_ it wouldn't happen again. Not to Mustang, not to Edward, not to anyone.

But then Fury found that puppy and Havoc had that look in his eyes that he always got when he'd just hatched the greatest of plans, and when he pulled you off to one side out in the hallway, you knew what he was going to suggest before the words ever came out of his mouth.

And you should have said no.

You should have apologized when he gave you puppy-eyes and told him that you just couldn't you were both adults and should probably behave as such.

You _should_ have walked away from the downcast man after this episode and been on your way.

But you'd never said no. You'd never had to tell him to grow up or face the wrath of his ever-effective puppy-eyes, and left him to wallow in sadness at your cold reply to what would undoubtedly be another brilliant scheme.

You had said yes before he'd ever even opened his mouth, and when he started to drag you out the door he usually used for his smoke breaks, you couldn't help but wonder why you hadn't just said no.

Two days later, when Fury was sitting in the office with the most ridiculous pair of earmuffs _ever_ perched atop his head, you knew why.

You couldn't say no to Havoc because there was something in his eyes, in his smile, in his stupidly _shouldn't-be-sexy-but-totally-is_ smoking habit, in the way he ruffled your hair and called you _kid_ that made you completely unable to say no.

And it didn't matter what it was he asked either, the answer was always yes. It could be as mundane as you holding his coffee while he pulled off his jacket, or something as grand as actually stealing Mustang's car, you always went along with it.

And if it had been anyone else who'd nicked the boss's car and driven it into the middle of nowhere to look up at the stars as you lay on the roof of it, you wouldn't have been there to enjoy the laughter and complete absurdity of the situation.

But as it was, you could. And you loved every second of it.

_Mr. Sandman bring us a dream  
>Give him a pair of eyes with a come-hither gleam<br>Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci  
>And lots of wavy hair like Liberace...<em>

It wasn't until after the incident with the main fountain and the soap -infinitely juvenile, but worth every second- that you noticed the way Havoc looked at you from the corners of his eyes when he thought you were too bust laughing to notice.

But you did notice, because you'd been doing the exact same to him for years before you joined Mustang's team, and it was about time he started to look at you the same way.

And you kept your mouth shut, because this cute brunette named Jessica was dating him, and he looked happy every time he left the base to go see her, and you wanted that for him. You wanted him to be happy even if it made you sad, because he was that important to you.

But one night when you were there late, you ran into him in the hallways, and had to blink a few times before you realized he had a black eye and brandy on his breath.

You dragged him onto the rooftop and left the wind do most of the work of waking him out of his semi-stupor.

"Sorry, sorry I dragged you into this…" His words were only a little slurred, and you decided that maybe he wasn't as drunk as you'd thought.

"You drag me into everything, Jean; I doubt this is anything new."

He'd grinned at that, turning to look at you fully. "Maybe not, but I'm still sorry… I didn't want you to look so worried about me. It's not fair." He huffed softly. "You always worry… Don't think I haven't noticed."

You tried not to stare at him, the thought that he might actually know what he was talking about freaking you out a little. "What are you talking about?"

He gave you a serious look. "You always go along with my pranks and crazy ideas, even if you know you shouldn't. You worry that one of these days I'll go too far, get too crazy… End up not coming back."

You stuck your tongue out at him. "You could never get too crazy, Jean. You're already there."

He laughed at that, reaching a hand over. Instead of ruffling you hair the way he usually did, though, he let his thumb run along your cheek. "It's not as fun here as I thought it would be… Kinda lonely."

You grinned. "All you have to do is ask you know."

He smirked, eyes gleaming deviously, and leaned in to press a kiss lightly to the corner of your mouth. "Be crazy with me?"

"I thought I already was."

"Well, taking into account that you _are_ currently on a rooftop with me after-hours, I'd say you're pretty close."

You laughed, letting him tug you into a close hug. "Eh, I guess I can live with that as long as I'm with you."

"Oh good. Because once you go crazy you never go back!"

You looked up at him and grinned deviously. "You say that like I'd ever go for the alternative in the first place."

He grinned.

_Mr. Sandman, someone to hold  
>Would be so peachy before we're too old<br>So please turn on your magic beam  
>Mr. Sandman, bring us, please, please, please<br>Mr. Sandman, bring us a dream..._

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><p><em>X3 He's so cute. I love this guy...<em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Mr. Sandman" _belongs to: _The Chordettes

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters _belong to:_ Hiromu Arakawa


	20. Candyman

_This song shouldn't suit him as well as it does, but oh well. XD_

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><p><em><strong>Summary: -AU-<strong> _He had the sort of golden blond hair that made you want to just run your fingers through it, and as he turned to look at the bartender, you caught the glimmer of his azure eyes and felt your stomach do a rather impressive double back flip. And then he stuck out his tongue at said bartender, and you saw the tattoo that graced it, and you practically melted into the floor.

_**Pairing:** _Alois Trancy/Reader

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><p><em>He got those lips like sugar cane<br>Good things come for boys who wait..._

Normally when you went out with Lizzy, you stayed away from the bars and clubs, and went shopping like ordinary girls of class.

But tonight, as fate would have it, was _anything_ but normal.

First there had been the lack of chauffeur for you and the blond, and then there had been the cab and Lizzy carrying around _actual cash_, and then there was the moment when you realized that this was going to be one of _those_ nights, and you resigned yourself to being toted around like a tiny puppy in a handbag by the energetic blond before you.

"Lizzy, where are we going?"

"Out! Come on, this'll be fun, I promise!"

You wondered how on earth a boy like Ciel was engaged to a girl like this, and rolled your eyes skyward. "I'd noticed that, dear, I meant out where?"

She blinked those big green eyes of hers at you like you'd just asked what her favorite color was. "Just… _Out_. Come on; show a sense of adventure, would you? It'll be fun!"

You sighed softly. "I know, but I'm worried you might have too much fun."

"How could that _possibly_ happen?"

"You've never gotten drunk before, have you?"

"Huh? No, why?"

You slapped a hand over your eyes and instantly saw a drunken Lizzy dancing across the bar top, giggling the whole way. "Never mind. But when I say we need to leave, we leave, okay?"

She smiled brightly, taking this as your consent to being dragged to every dive on this side of town, and nodded once. "Okay!"

You tried not to groan as you imagined all the trouble you'd be in when you finally found your way home, and you decided that it might not be a bad thing for Lizzy to spend the night at your house, so that she would have a chance to sleep off whatever she decided to put into her system.

With this plan firmly in place, you sat back up and smiled brightly at her as she dragged you from the cab and towards a store.

Might as well have fun while it was still there to be had…

_I met him out for dinner on a Friday night  
>He really had me working up an appetite<br>He had tattoos up and down his arm  
>There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm...<em>

The day flew past in a blur of color and sound and before you knew it you'd started the crawl across the pubs on this side of town, and you really hoped that you'd be able to keep your friend from getting too out of control.

The first stop was completely normal, contrary to the rest of the day's events thus far, and Lizzy just wanted to try _pub food_. So you ate greasy, _but totally delicious_, food of peasants and tried to ignore the looks you were getting from the boys around the room.

Lizzy asked what they were staring at.

You grinned and told her quite plainly that it was her.

She turned four shades deeper than a tomato and poked at her sandwich before she had the nerve to look back at a few of them.

And suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, you realized that the only way you were ever going to get her home in one piece was if you called in reinforcements.

Ciel, unsurprisingly, showed up the instant you mentioned Lizzy and bars in the same sentence, and when she'd hit her second sip of beer and found it didn't agree with her, he helped her to the bathroom.

It was in their absence that you noticed the boy across the room from you. You'd caught glimpses of him moving back and forth through the pub, but once Lizzy was gone, you had a pretty good view of him.

He had the sort of golden blond hair that made you want to just run your fingers through it, and as he turned to look at the bartender, you caught the glimmer of his azure eyes and felt your stomach do a rather impressive double back flip.

And then he stuck out his tongue at said bartender, and you saw the tattoo that graced it, and you practically melted into the floor.

It was while you were trying to get over the fact that there was a _tattoo_ on his _tongue_, gaze still glued to those vibrantly blue eyes, that he turned and noticed you.

He winked, tipping his glass towards you, and you managed to return the gesture just in time for Ciel to come back with a pouting Lizzy. Ciel looked between you and the blond at the bar and smirked. "Someone you know?" He asked as he helped Lizzy back into her seat.

"No, no…" You smirked slightly. "But that might change…"

Ciel was about to object when said blond slipped over to you, ignoring both Lizzy and her fiancé in favor of smirking right at you. "Hey, I was just wondering, are you doing anything later?"

Well, you had to give him points for being direct about it. "Not that I can think of."

He grinned. "Good. There's a place I know just a few blocks over… It's fun this time of night, if you think you'd like to try it out…"

You smiled sweetly up at him. "I'd love to." Ciel started to interject, but you kicked him under the table before he could and continued to look up at the blond. "I came here by taxi, though."

He smiled just as sweetly back at you. "Well I brought my motorcycle, so it shouldn't be a problem." And to top off the sweetness of his smile, he offered you his arm. "We can leave now, if you'd like."

You instantly stood, taking his arm and letting him lead you towards the door.

_He took me to the Spider Club at Hollywood and Vine  
>We drank champagne and we danced all night<br>We shook the paparazzi for a big surprise  
>The gossip tonight will be tomorrow's headline...<em>

Given that all your blond had to do was nod at the bouncer to be allowed into the club, you decided he probably came here often. _Quite_ often, considering the way he knew his way around and managed to walk you over to the bar without having to dodge anyone even once.

He pressed a glass of champagne into your hands before you could protest, and clinked his gently against yours before he downed it in one gulp. You stared at him for a moment before you followed suite with a shrug, earning you a grin from him.

"I never caught your name." You managed to not yell into his ear as you leaned in closer.

"It's Alois," he replied in much the same manner, although he found it necessary to gently tug your hips forward towards his, "and I have to tell you, I never come here unless I plan to dance."

You smirked up at him, rather enjoying the way those azure eyes glided over you. "Well then, I suppose I'd better come with you before you turn into someone else's ride home."

He looked injured, placing a hand over his heart. "Me, abandon you? How could you think it?" You laughed as he grinned and tugged you out onto the dance floor, quickly spinning you into his arms and swaying perfectly in time to the slower song that was currently playing.

Alois could _move_.

You were hard pressed to collect your thoughts enough in order to actually follow his lead; distracted as you were by the way he twisted and turned in time to the rhythm of the music, a grin ever-present on his face. It didn't seem to matter what sort of song it was, either, he could adapt to any genre and instantly fall into step.

And as if his hips, which were uncommonly narrow and entirely too attractive for his own good, weren't distracting enough, there were times when he'd bend just the right way and you'd be able to see down the front of his shirt, always blurred by speed and the flashing lights, but promising of soft, smooth muscles and the cries that you could elicit if you had half a chance.

And with sudden determination, you decided that no matter how offended and appalled Lizzy might be when she found out, you were taking this boy home. Tattooed tongue and all…

_Especially_ the tattooed tongue.

_Well by now I'm getting all bothered and hot  
>When he kissed my mouth he really hit the spot<br>He had lips like sugar cane  
>Good things come to boys who wait...<em>

Boys shouldn't taste as good as Alois did. It just shouldn't be allowed.

They also shouldn't be able to reduce you to goo with nothing but their taste and smell, and really, it should be illegal for anyone to kiss as well as he did, no matter their gender or age.

It didn't help that his fingers, which were exceptionally determined little explorers, managed to find every place that made your skin prickle pleasantly, and it was hard to keep paying attention to where you were directing him as you drove him backwards towards your room.

Oh yeah, and there was that. Who walks backwards that well in boots anyway? Who _wears_ boots that well, period?

The purple coat, something else that was attractive against all laws of reason, was removed and deposited somewhere near your living room couch, your jacket soon following suit. Then there was the obvious problem of your shirts, which were dispatched with lightning speed thanks to one of his explorative hands giving your skin a break.

Then there came the boots.

The ridiculous, would-look-stupid-on-any-other-guy, lace-all-the-way-up-the-front boots that encased his legs up to the knee and made you want to scream with frustration when you realized that those black skinny jeans of his wouldn't be coming off until the boots did, and that was quite possibly a feat that was beyond even Hercules himself.

Alois actually laughed when he noticed the look on your face and pulled you onto the bed so that you hovered over him. "Relax. I wasn't planning on going anywhere for a while, if you want me to stick around."

"You'll have to, given the absurdity of your laces."

He smirked slightly, leaning up to catch your lips with his own again. "I think I might, if only to see you make those faces of yours some more… They really are too cute."

You gave him a look. "That doesn't resolve the problem of your boots being convoluted and completely impossible to remove."

That same smirk slid onto his lips as his blue eyes burned a little more brightly. "You know they zip off down the back, right?"

You brightened instantly.

_He's a one stop shop, makes my cherry pop  
>He's a sweet-talking, sugar coated candy man<br>A sweet-talking, sugar coated candy man..._

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><p><em>I wasn't sure about this song for him at first, but then I saw the lyric about the <em>Spider Club, _and instantly decided it was made for him. XD__  
><em>

_Again, I would love to hear either your song/character suggestions, or your thoughts about the chapters already posted. I love getting reviews from you guys!_

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><p><em>The song <em>"Candyman" _belongs to: _Christina Aguilera

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	21. Next Contestant

_**Summary:** _You noticed that he watched you as you left, and you wondered idly whether or not he had been paying as much attention to you over the past few months as you'd been paying him. And you found there was a little more swing in your hips as you went back to work.

**_Pairing: _**Mello/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Here comes the next contestant...<em>

When you'd first met the fiery blond in black leather, you'd thought he was a little… _Weird_. Not that weird was bad, exactly; especially not when it looked as good as he did, but he never opened up and tried to keep his head down, and you swore that there was something going on with him that he didn't want anyone to know about.

His redheaded friend was the really funny one, you'd discovered, and when they got drunk, it was the boy in the stripes that dragged his friend onto the dance floor.

And they tended to get drunk pretty often.

Eventually you'd stopped wanting to refer to them by their appearances and worked up the courage to ask for their names, seeing as they were regulars.

You waited till leather-and-laces had wandered off in search of something to ask stripy-boy who they were.

He'd told you their identities with a massive grin, and then asked when you got off work.

You were grinning right back when you told him you had to work all night.

He replied with a shrug and a promise to keep you company at the club until you went home.

When Mello got back and joined Matt for another drink before he was dragged to the dance floor, you noticed that he watched you as you left, and you wondered idly whether or not he had been paying as much attention to you over the past few months as you'd been paying him.

And you found there was a little more swing in your hips as you went back to work, refilling a few glasses that should probably have remained empty, and trying to ignore the less-favorable looks you were getting from a few of the other patrons.

_I judge by what she's wearing  
>Just how many heads I'm tearing<br>Off of assholes coming on to her  
>Each night seems like it's getting worse<br>And I wish she'd take the night off  
>So I don't have to fight off<br>Every asshole coming on to her  
>It happens every night she works<br>They'll go and ask the DJ  
>Find out just what would she say<br>If they all tried coming on to her  
>Don't they know it's never going to work<br>They think they'll get inside her  
>With every drink they buy her<br>As they all try coming on to her  
>This time somebody's getting hurt...<em>

Most of the ones who tried anything were harmless, but there were a few of them that just gave you the creeps. It was the ones that ignored their girlfriends in favor of looking you over, and the few who were brave enough to try and touch you that really got under your skin. But they were paying customers, and you didn't really want to make any of them mad, so you tried to keep your temper under control.

You'd had a lot of practice at grinning and bearing it.

And when your shift was _finally_ over, you found that you were thrilled when Matt and Mello saw you out of the club through the back door, and walked you all the way to your car.

And when one of the boys who'd been trying to catch your eye all night tried to call out to you, you found yourself unable to reply because Mello's lips were pressed flush against yours as he pressed you back against the side of your car.

He'd explained later, when he was holding an icepack over the shiner you'd given him and was sitting on your couch, that he'd done it to keep the other guy at bay.

You'd rolled your eyes.

"Seriously, if it had been any other night, I never would have tried to kiss you. Hell, if Matt had been closer, he probably would have done it instead."

Matt nodded solemnly from his seat next to his friend, clearly trying to drown his hangover in the cup of coffee you'd given him. "That's right."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I don't _expect _you to do a damn thing," he spat back, "but I'd _prefer_ if you didn't go about dishing blame where it doesn't belong."

You noticed the way he wasn't looking at you; you'd only punched _one_ eye after all, and smirked. "Okay, how about we make a deal."

They'd both snapped to attention. "What sort of deal?" Mello asked.

"The kind where you become my boyfriend to keep the jerks at bay, and I let you have free drinks while you're 'on duty'."

"What about Matt?"

"He can be your wingman. If you're busy dealing with someone, he can step in and let them know, in a friendly sort of way, that I'm already taken."

Mello removed the icepack from his eye, smirking slightly. "Are you sure about that? Because I can be pretty possessive."

You moved over to him and crawled into his lap, noticing with some great pleasure the way his cheeks reddened slightly under the attention. "I figured as much, and that's why I picked you. Now come on, _sweetie_, we've got some practicing to do."

Matt looked like he'd never been happier.

And Mello looked pretty pleased with himself too.

_Is that your hand on my girlfriend?  
>Is that your hand?<br>I wish you'd do it again  
>I'll watch you leave here limping<br>I wish you'd do it again  
>I'll watch you leave here limping<br>There goes the next contestant..._

The next night you were scheduled, you called Mello and let him know, and he and Matt were waiting for you at the back entrance when you arrived.

Mello instantly put a hand on the small of your back and guided you through the door, smirking slightly as he led you over to the bar and then pressed a kiss to your shoulder before you slipped back behind it and he took a seat.

Matt was trying not to grin like an idiot as he sat beside his friend, and you were trying not to smirk as Mello glared down a guy three seats over who looked like he might try to make a move as you moved over to him.

After only an hour, Mello had already intervened five times when boys had gotten too friendly, and every time they ran with their tails tucked between their legs, you'd lean across the bar and whisper a soft _thanks_ into his ear.

He'd grin right back and ask you for that free drink, and you'd roll your eyes at him, but you both knew it was just his way of saying _you're welcome_.

He didn't get violent, just as you'd imagined he wouldn't, and Mello dealt with potential threats with a few of his own, and all it took was a few soft-spoken words to have them running.

It didn't take you long to realize you might actually fall for him if he kept this up.

_I even fear the ladies  
>They're cool but twice as crazy<br>Just as bad for coming on to her  
>Don't they know it's never going to work<br>Each time she bats an eyelash  
>Somebody's grabbing her ass<br>Everyone keeps coming on to her  
>This time somebody's getting hurt...<em>

On the rare occasions that the girls were the ones to put the moves on you, Matt was the one who intervened. He'd sidle up all casual like, and within five minutes or less they were on their way.

"He hates talking to chicks," Matt answered your question as to why this was with a grin, "he thinks he's bad at it, even though I tell him he isn't. He swears you're the first girl he's ever actually gotten along with. Which makes sense, seeing as you give him free liquor."

You'd laughed at that. "Seriously? I would have thought he'd be great with the ladies."

He'd looked at you like you were insane. "God no. Well, he gets on with you, but I think that's because you didn't try to ask him where he gets his outfits from. And don't try, either, I swear he is such a girl about that."

You'd laughed again, and then jumped about a mile in the air when a hand landed dangerously close to your belt, and a soft whisper brushed past your ear.

"That guy over there keeps staring… Mind walking with me over to the back?"

_I'm hating what she's wearing  
>Everybody here keeps staring<br>Can't wait 'til they get what they deserve  
>This time somebody's getting hurt...<em>

"How's this?"

"Too much leg."

"I'll be wearing boots…"

"Still too much. Try another skirt."

You'd rolled your eyes at the blond on your couch. "You know, I can't dress like a dowager just because you want to make it easier to keep boys from staring."

He'd blinked. "What? No. I'm just saying that one's too short. Seriously, is that even finger-tip length? I don't think so."

"Stop staring."

"Hey, you're the one who asked me to do this."

Mello had started riding home with you the nights you worked the graveyard shift, and eventually you'd cleaned out the guest room and let him spend the night every once in a while.

Matt never imposed, but he'd turn up every once in a while to drag Mello away for a job, and when he did, he'd always send you these apologetic looks as though he really was depriving you of something.

Mr. Fashion Police had shown his true colors one night when you'd walked out of your room in an outfit he claimed made you look way too loose.

You took that as a translation for: _You look too hot, go change before anyone gets ideas_.

So now it was a nightly occurrence for him to either approve or reject the outfits you planned to wear to work, claiming that it was all part of his being your boyfriend.

You never missed the times he forgot to add the _pretend_ part into that sentence.

_I wish you'd do it again  
>Each night seems like it's getting worse<br>I wish you'd do it again  
>This time somebody's getting hurt...<em>

The first time he'd ever punched a guy, you never saw it coming.

Normally he didn't resort to violence, never finding it necessary, but when he did resort to it, he knocked the guy in question out cold.

His face had gone red, his fists clenched, hair flying out of its usually perfectly-combed style. He'd _yelled_, and you'd never heard him raise his voice at a guy either.

It had taken Matt on crowd control and you man-handling Mello out the back door before he calmed down enough to explain what had happened.

"What were you thinking?" You demanded in a harsh whisper. "Mel, I could lose my job if he reports you for this!"

He flinched at the sound of his nickname, unaccustomed to hearing it come out of your mouth when you were mad. "Sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry won't cut it! Why'd you hit him?"

"He… You didn't hear him! He was saying… God, the most _disgusting_ things."

"So have others."

"Not like this." It was the drop in his voice that caught your attention, the fight suddenly going out of him in a rush. "This wasn't like the others. I just…" He raked a hand through his hair, sighing. "I lost it."

"I noticed."

He gave you a flat look. "Look, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"You sure about that? Because you've been getting more tense about these boys for a while now. Eventually you're going to run across another creep, and you're going to lose it again."

"It's not my fault I actually care."

You blinked, unsure if you'd heard him properly. "What?"

"You. I care about you," he rolled his eyes, "and _God_, I sound like a sappy soap-opera saying this, but it's true." He hesitantly pulled you into a hug. "So shoot me, I feel like your real boyfriend."

You laughed. "I'm not going to shoot you," you pulled away far enough to grin up at him, "but I might have to thank you properly for decking that guy later."

He grinned. "I think I could get on board with that."

You pulled him into a crushing kiss, surprising him with the suddenness of it. "I should _certainly_ hope so."

_There goes the next contestant..._

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><p><em>I <em>love_ writing for Mello. I should really do it more often._

_And never fear, I will be doing more of the Death Note boys eventually, once I find songs for them all._

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><p><em>The song <em>"Next Contestant" _belongs to: _Nickelback

Death Note and its related characters _belong to:_ Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata


	22. Just The Way You Are

__I don't want to hear a __thing __about this being in the wrong place. __Howl's Moving Castle__ is listed under __Manga/Anime__, so this is completely legit. And we can just assume this takes place when he's older, so none of you freak out. Also, this Markl is more like the character in the book than in the anime. Apologies for that.__

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><p><strong><em>Summary<em>: **The more he learned, though, the more he wanted to talk to you, to make you feel like you could trust _him_ with those sorts of secrets too, make you laugh and cry, tease with you and joke, and be able to mouth _pretty boy_ across the room whenever Howl pranced passed the two of you. He wanted to be your friend.

**_Pairing:_ **Markl/Reader

* * *

><p><em>When I see your face<br>There's not a thing that I would change  
>'Cause you're amazing<br>Just the way you are..._

He'd been shocked when you'd introduced yourself as Master Howl's new junior apprentice.

There was an aura to you he recognized, of course, a sort of aptitude for this kind of thing, but he'd never in his life imagined that a girl like _you_ would come to a place like _this_ to learn magic.

And when you'd successfully completed your first spell, a simple charm to keep flowers fresh longer, he'd wanted to applaud you even though Howl had warned him off giving you too much praise your first few months here.

And Howl would give you tiny smiles and slow nods of approval, but Markl could tell from the way he looked at you that he was proud that _he_ got to train someone like _you_.

Not that Howl would _ever_ admit to something like that, of course.

Markl couldn't get up the courage to talk to you for the first week you worked together, and whenever you came to him with a question, he would do his best to get the words out in a tone that didn't make him sound like he had a migraine just from being in your presence.

Sophie was the only girl he had any practice talking to, on a regular non-customer basis, and you were a different creature to her entirely. It helped that you weren't smitten with your Master, and could actually laugh at him behind his back when he flounced in or out of a room.

And you tended to laugh quite a bit.

Markl would never admit it, but he learned more about you by camping out on the staircase while you cleaned up the main area and chatted to Calcifer. He struggled not to laugh when you cracked jokes with the fire demon, and he wanted to give you a hug when he heard about your past, even though it would be a bolt out of the blue, since you had no idea he'd heard any of your hushed conversations by firelight.

The more he learned, though, the more he wanted to talk to you, to make you feel like you could trust _him_ with those sorts of secrets too, make you laugh and cry and show all those emotions that Howl would frown at in an offended way if he saw you showing them in his general direction.

He wanted to tease with you and joke, and be able to mouth _pretty boy_ across the room whenever Howl pranced passed the two of you.

He wanted to be your friend.

_Oh, her eyes, her eyes  
>Make the stars look like they're not shining<br>Her hair, her hair  
>Falls perfectly without her trying<br>She's so beautiful  
>And I tell her everyday...<em>

It started out small.

Soft glances across the table while you were eating breakfast, whispered questions to one another while you worked, tea appearing by your elbow just the way you liked it without you ever having to ask.

You liked the little things.

You liked the way his eyes would light up when you moved over to him, a question on the tip of your tongue, the way he wouldn't ever look at the book you'd brought with you, but direct all his attention onto you.

The way he treated you like an equal, not a subordinate.

When Howl would leave, you'd pull up chairs to the table and chat about this and that, never anything too serious, and when you saw the dial above the door jump onto whatever color Howl had left through, Markl would snap his fingers and set everything back to where it had been before you even had a chance to get out of your chair.

And when he managed to finally articulate a sentence that didn't revolve around your work, you nearly laughed, because it was the cutest thing on the face of the planet.

"You… Would you like to go out with me sometime?" You'd stared at him until his cheeks had _blazed_ red, and he'd quickly tried to cover that blatant slip of the tongue. "Ah! I mean to get supplies! Howl hasn't said you _can't_ go out, but he never sends you, so I thought maybe you'd like to go with me the next time we need to get some things…"

You'd grinned as brightly as you possibly could. "That'd be nice, Markl, thank you!"

"You're welcome."

And that night while you cleaned, he blushed worse than he ever had before in his life because Calcifer was teasing you about it mercilessly while Markl hid on the staircase and tried not to make noise.

_I know, I know  
>When I compliment her she won't believe me<br>And it's so, it's so  
>Sad to think that she don't see what I see<br>But every time she asks me "Do I look okay?"  
>I say...<em>

"Hell."

Markl lifted his head from his own experiment and looked across the room to where you stood, hands on your hips as you frowned at the ingredients before you. "What's wrong?"

"I can't get this right."

He moved over to you instantly, stopping in the middle of his spell to do so, and peered over your shoulder. The spell you were working on wasn't particularly complex, just a little something to banish cold from a house in winter, but it was _very_ specific about which steps went where, and how you pronounced the incantation.

Normally, you could throw everything together in a bowl as long as you got the incantation right, but not this time.

"Here, it's like this." He stood next to you, only just pressing against your shoulder to give himself a little more room, and talked you through the steps, coaching you on the final incantation before you actually said it.

The little bottle on the workbench before you was suddenly filled with a fiery liquid that looked a bit like lava in the proper lighting, and you beamed at him, throwing your arms around his neck in a hug before he had a chance to shuffle back off to his own work. "Thanks! I can never get those stupid incantations right…"

"S-sure you can…" He tentatively returned the hug. "You just need a bit more practice is all."

You laughed, pulling away from him and starting to clear away your mess. "Yeah, right, a _lot _more practice is more like."

"That's not true," his tone was sincere, and you turned to look at him as he spoke, "you're a really great magician."

You'd swear in court that the heat you felt in your face as he walked away was just the residue left over from the spell. _Obviously_.

_Her lips, her lips  
>I could kiss them all day if she'd let me<br>Her laugh, her laugh  
>She hates but I think it's so sexy<br>She's so beautiful  
>And I tell her everyday...<em>

"Markl, can you let me in?" The silence from the other side of the door made you want to roll your eyes. "It was an _accident, _Markl, I told you that already." More silence. "Markl, come out or so help me I'll come in! Howl taught me how to pick a lock you know!"

You waited to the count of five before you glared at the lock on his bedroom door and snapped your fingers. It gave a huffy sort of click in response, and the door swung inward.

Markl's room was tidy compared to the rest of the castle, and the boy himself was curled up on the middle of his bed, legs drawn up to his chest, and forehead pressed to his knees.

"Markl?"

He jumped visibly, apparently unaware that Howl _had_ taught you how to pick locks, and peered up over his knees at you. "I'm _so sorry_." His voice was little more than a mortified whisper.

You sighed softly, closing the door behind you and moving over to the bed. You sat next to him, much in the same posture, and looked at anything but him. "I told you already, I forgive you. It's not like you _planned_ to trip down the stairs and land with your lips against mine…" You paused, then added in a teasing tone, "did you?"

He gaped at you, startled out of his sulk. "I did not!"

You laughed, then quickly tried to stop, covering your mouth with one hand, self conscious of how the sound echoed through the room.

"Don't."

You looked at him, swallowing the laughter that still threatened bubble up and out of you. "Don't what?"

"Don't try to cover up your laugh."

You blinked. "I would have thought you didn't want me laughing at you."

"No, it's not that…" His voice sank several octaves, and you never would have heard him if he wasn't sitting right next to you. "You have a beautiful laugh… Don't try to cover it up."

You stared at him for a moment before your curiosity got the better of you. "Any other bits of me you find beautiful? Just for future reference, I mean."

Eyes you hadn't known could look so hungry raked up and over you before they came to rest on your own, the faintest of smirks slipping onto his lips. "Every bit of you."

_Oh you know, you know, you know  
>I'd never ask you to change<br>If perfect's what you're searching for  
>Then just stay the same<br>So don't even bother asking if you look okay  
>You know I'll say...<em>

It started out small.

With soft touches to the small of your back as he came to check on your work, light brushes of skin on skin as he directed your hands in the proper way for one bit of a spell or another, the gentle kisses pressed to your temple, cheek, shoulder, when Howl wasn't looking.

You liked to think he didn't know, even though there was no denying the knowing glint in his eyes when he saw the two of you together. You liked to think that you and Markl were the only two in the world when you sat out on one of the balconies and looked up at the stars as you shared each other's warmth, but there was always that nagging sensation that _someone_ was watching you.

Usually Calcifer, ready to ruin a perfectly blissful moment with one sarcastic comment or another.

When you went places through that door though, you knew that reality and work and everything in your lives that anchored you and kept you from drifting away over the horizon was just on the other side of the bland wood, and you could go back to it whenever you needed to with just a turn of a handle.

Markl still called you beautiful.

You still told him he was clearly delusional, or suffering from bad eyesight, or a love spell, or-

Markl still cut you off mid-rant with a roll of his eyes and a gentle kiss.

You still refused to complain about the treatment, and even went so far as to encourage it.

Especially the eye rolling.

_And when you smile  
>The whole world stops and stares for a while<br>'Cause girl you're amazing  
>Just the way you are...<em>

* * *

><p><em>Isn't he just so adorable? X3<em>

_This song was meant to be for someone else _entirely_, but I was struck with sudden inspiration one day and just couldn't help myself. That seems to be happening a lot, lately. XD_

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><p><em>The song<em> "Just The Way You Are" _belongs to: _Bruno Mars

Howl's Moving Castle and its related characters _belong to:_ Diana Wynne Jones


	23. Katherine Wheel

_So yeah, school's out for summer and I finally got back in the groove for these. Have the next few already picked out, so it shouldn't be as long between updates!  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary:<strong> _You found out that he shadowed you because he was staking a claim. And for whatever reason, be it those eyes or that grin, you couldn't bring yourself to feel like you should have been asked about being claimed first. You liked that he was looking out for you, no matter his reasons why.

**_Pairing: _**Solf J. Kimblee/Reader

_**Warning:**_ Rating actually warranted here for brief language!

* * *

><p><em>Lo and behold, baby<br>These are the things you make me do  
>Katherine Wheel I'm burning for you<br>I'm burning for you…_

When you'd first laid eyes on him, you hadn't been about to join the military. You were ten, playing in the playground, and he shoved the boy who'd stolen your swing right off the seat.

He'd given you the most mischievous grin you'd ever seen and the offered to push you to make sure the kid didn't try and steal it back.

You never forgot that bright-eyed boy from the playground even though you never saw him again after that day. You always went back to that playground, that swing, but you never ran into him. You never caught glimpses of that bright grin or the long black hair.

And in all honesty, you missed it.

You missed the boy you'd only seen for a few hours, but would stick with you for the rest of your life.

You decided it wasn't fair that he left such an impression and then vanished into the blur of time.

_Come on and break me a limb at a time  
>Wrap me around your spokes so tight<br>There's no letting go  
>Spin me around to blur the line<br>Between you and I  
>What are you waiting for?<em>

It was almost ten years later, as you stood at attention and received your first orders for combat, that you saw him again.

It took you a week to get up the courage to just walk past him, and another four days to get the nerve to sit at the same table in the mess hall, keeping your head down as the other boys around you all teased and joked and laughed amongst themselves.

And when you'd realized you'd forgotten to get something to drink and run off to get it, you'd returned to find your seat taken.

You'd tried for a minute to get their attention before _he_ kicked their chair over and glared. "She was sitting there first."

You went about as red as a tomato as you sank back into the righted chair and dared to look up at him. That same grin from all those years ago was aimed across the table at you, and he winked.

"Next time, just ask me. It's a hell of a lot faster."

You'd nodded and gone back to your meal, and tried to ignore the way his gaze still bored into you from those luminescent eyes.

After that, you noticed the way he followed you around, subtly at first and then more openly after. He would smirk when he noticed you looking his direction as he lounged against a wall or slouched in a chair just across the table from you.

You didn't find out until a week later, when a certain Flame Alchemist had muttered a warning into your ear, that what Kimblee was doing was making sure no one had the guts to mess with you.

He shadowed you because he was staking a claim.

And for whatever reason, be it those eyes or that grin, you couldn't bring yourself to feel like you should have been asked about being claimed first.

You liked that he was looking out for you, no matter his reasons why.

From the watching and following, he escalated to touching, and one night when he tugged you down a dark alley in the camp you jumped a mile in the air and couldn't get your blush under control as his arm slipped around your waist.

"Kimblee, what are you…?"

"Hush. There's this creep that keeps looking at you. Bastard clearly hasn't taken the hint about you being off limits…"

Your blush merely intensified. "Why are you doing this?"

He looked at you like you were stupid. "Once upon a time you were the cute little girl who got her swing stolen on the playground," that grin resurfaced, "I never want to have to see that little girl cry again, okay?"

If you hadn't been so flattered and flustered and generally embarrassed, you would have hugged him and laughed into his chest.

As it was, you just let him smirk as he walked you back to your barracks.

That feeling of being looked after overwhelmed you, and for the first time since he'd stolen back your swing, you felt loved.

_Holding hands won't be enough  
>In a world giving head to a god<br>Love in theory and practice  
>Chapter One…<em>

That feeling of being loved quickly turned into one of being wanted when you discovered that Kimblee didn't care much for regulation, and would openly hold your hand and casually sneak his arm around your shoulders or waist.

You didn't mind. How could you, when you knew why he was doing it. And if you were being honest with yourself of anyone else, you would have admitted that you liked being able to lean into him when someone across the yard was giving you a dangerous look and know that they'd back off instantly.

He was like a bodyguard…

But with benefits.

The first time he kissed you, he gave you fair warning and whispered into your ear what he was planning before pressing his lips lightly to yours.

He claimed that the boys had demanded proof that you two were together, because they had a similar feeling to his where the rules were concerned, and thus a kiss was required.

You doubted it even from the beginning, but you let him do it anyway because you were curious how it would feel to kiss that smirk right off his lips.

Unfortunately for you and your curiosity, though, kissing him just made his smirk wider.

But you decided that with enough practice, you'd be able to fix that.

The kisses continued, though rarely to your lips and more often to the back of your neck or just below your ear, the places he knew on instinct would make you react.

When he got the chance, he would attach your wrists and the joint between your neck and shoulder, utilizing his teeth and tongue in his battle against your defenses that tried to keep him at bay.

Nine times out of ten, he was infinitely more successful than you were, and you added that to your list of things that just weren't fair about him.

Along with how he kept his hair soft _while in the army_, how attractive his smirk with that hint of teeth was, and the way he could make you melt with just a few words.

Usually ones that either described your beauty or spirit. Often both.

The times he resorted to such flattery, he was trying to sneak his way into your room when you refused to admit him. And when the softly spoken words weren't enough, he would break out the Pout.

It was a mixture of puppy-dog-eyes and wobbling lips that would have put most five-year-olds to utter shame and ruin.

The Pout was not something you could ever hold your own against for very long, and every time it made an appearance, you caved in a matter of moments.

And closely following the Pout was the Smirk. So capitalized because it followed your rolling eyes and muttered acquiescence before his hands landed on your waist and he pushed you back into your room and kicked the door closed with a rumbling chuckle.

_I twist and turn  
>Your arms swirl<br>The dizzier I get the clearer I see  
>You are at peace with the world within…<em>

The nights you awoke to warm arms wrapped around you and steady breath against your back were the nights you would smile and know that nothing could go wrong. You were on top of the world in his embrace, and whenever the grin disappeared and he gave you a soft, genuine smile, you knew he felt the same way.

"Am I still that little girl who had her swing stolen?" You asked one night as you sat out under the stars, leaning against his chest.

"No, no," he chuckled, "you're the woman who managed to snatch away my heart." He kissed the top of your head, sighing into your hair. "It feels kinda hollow without it, you know. I feel like my lungs might start rattling around against my ribs if I run for too long, or something."

You laughed, pressing back against him harder as another deep chuckle rumbled through him. "Well you have mine, so I only think it's fair I borrow yours."

"Borrow? Babe, who said I'd want it back?"

You turned to look at him, smirking. "It that an invitation to keep it, then?"

He winked. "Only if the offer is mutual."

It was the times like this, the moments were you sat in silence and just watched the world slip past, as much as it was the ones where you had to gasp down lungfulls of air just to keep yourself conscious that made you love him as much as you did.

And no matter how much he smirked and grinned and gave you those toothy smiles, you knew deep down he could be soft-spoken and sweet. And it didn't matter which he did usually, because you got to see both.

_Lo and behold, baby  
>These are the things you make me do<br>Katherine Wheel I'm burning for you  
>Please don't stop until my heart no longer screams…<em>

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><p><em>Kimblee is, hands down, one of my favorite characters. And I like to think that under all that smirking and wicked grinning, he has a softer side... You get to see it here.<em> ^_^

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Katherine Wheel" _belongs to: _HIM

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters _belong to:_ Hiromu Arakawa


	24. Not Like the Other Girls

_Two in one night, huh? I'll take that as a good sign.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary:<strong> _He was your shadow, your escort, and wherever you went, he was a mere four steps behind you. As time went on, and the threat slowly began to be more relevant, he kept you close and kept you within his reach. He stopped sleeping outside your door, and instead occupied a corner of your room. You tried not to watch him as you slipped into slumber, and he tried not to stare at you as you slept. You were a different sort of girl than the ones he was used to, and he found your quiet elegance intriguing to the point where he wanted to know you better.

**_Pairing:_**Jin/Reader

* * *

><p><em>No more blame I am destined to keep you sane<br>Gotta rescue the flame  
>Gotta rescue the flame in your heart…<em>

When it started, you were nothing but another job.

Just a little girl with a father who was rich and paranoid and wanted you to be safe from enemies that probably didn't even exist in the first place.

But he'd agreed.

He'd been bored and alone and otherwise unengaged, and had figured _why not_. It was a lot of money to watch you haunt the halls of the large house, or sneak out into the garden to tend to the flowers you kept there, and he'd decided that it might be nice to take an easy job for a change.

When it started, he'd kept silent and tried to ignore the curious looks you sent his way in order to keep from having to answer too many questions. He hadn't ever heard you speak, and he honestly wasn't sure if you could, or if you were just used to being ignored that you'd decided not to.

Whatever the case, he wasn't going to push too hard, lest he break whatever trust you might place in him.

He was your shadow, your escort, and wherever you went, he was a mere four steps behind you.

As time went on, and the threat slowly began to be more relevant, he kept you close and kept you within his reach. He stopped sleeping outside your door, and instead occupied a corner of your room.

You tried not to watch him as you slipped into slumber, and he tried not to stare at you as you slept.

You were a different sort of girl than the ones he was used to, and he found your quiet elegance intriguing to the point where he wanted to know you better.

And he decided then and there that he would take the initiative for the first time, and attempt to crack you out of your shell.

_No more blood, I will be there for you my love  
>I will stand by your side<br>The world has forsaken my girl…_

It was slow at first.

Only a few whispered words back and forth when you knew you were alone and your father wouldn't barge in and demand to know what sort of stories this rōnin was telling you.

But it was worth it.

It was worth it for the shy smiles you finally started to send his way, the soft questions you'd put to him in the middle of the night when you couldn't sleep, the way you'd grab his hand and tug him along faster, because your shadow just couldn't seem to keep up.

His favorite times were when your father was out of town for business, and you were free to talk as you pleased. You could sit as equals at the table and sip tea, or go into the garden to watch the fireflies dance through the cool evening air.

You could stop hiding from the world around you and emerge from your shell enough to actually laugh, or freely look at him as he explained about one particularly complex process or another.

And when you asked him to teach him how to fight, he'd actually chuckled before he realized you were serious. And with a moment's consideration and a slight nod he'd agreed.

Because one of these days a shadow wouldn't be enough, and you would have to defend yourself.

The lessons were sporadic, usually in the dead of night when you could be alone in your room and try not to make noise. But they were entertaining, because you were a fast learner with naturally good form, and Jin actually _enjoyed_ teaching you how to defend yourself.

And the night you managed to flip him off of you and pin him to the ground with a grin, he felt his heart skip a few beats.

Not long after, the threats against your father grew more heated, and Jin found himself relieved to know that if anything happened and he couldn't get to you immediately, you'd be able to look after yourself until he did.

And the day your father died, he stopped walking two steps behind you, and walked by your side as you haunted the now-empty halls of the massive house.

_I should have seen it would be this way  
>I should have known from the start what she's up to<br>When you have loved and you've lost someone  
>You know what it feels like to lose…<em>

You kept him on as a shadow, even though he was so much more than just a bodyguard now. He was a confidante, a companion.

A friend, if he was being bold.

You'd stopped smiling when your uncle came to look after the estate, and you no longer looked after the flowers in your garden. You stopped giving him those soft smiles and your laughter had faded away completely.

You'd gone back into your shell, and Jin felt as though all the work he'd put into pulling you out had suddenly disappeared.

He still slept in your room, tucked up in a corner, but you stopped asking him to tell you stories from his past, neglected the practice sessions you'd once demanded he keep up with on the nights you knew you could get away with them.

And the cold sensation he'd had for so long before he met you suddenly washed back over him, and he knew the feeling of loss long before it came, because he'd felt it before.

You were one more woman he couldn't keep safe, and he felt like he'd failed you somehow for what he'd done. He'd been so busy being your shadow, he hadn't thought to act as your father's as well, and now you were a shell of the girl you'd once been.

And he felt as though it was his fault.

All of what could have been had been dashed away from the both of you because he'd been too busy watching in wonder as you smiled at him and called him by name.

_She's fading away  
>Away from this world<br>Drifting like a feather  
>She's not like the other girls<br>She lives in the clouds  
>She talks to the birds<br>Hopeless little one  
>She's not like the other girls I know…<em>

From then on it was no longer attempts from Jin to remove you from your shell.

It was an all-out war.

He would fight to find you again, through all your sorrow and sighs and unshed tears. He would fight until the very end for you, because you were worth it to him, and he would never give up on the girl who had become his anchor to the world.

For a shadow can do little more than mimic its master.

He stopped caring what your uncle thought or said softly about how he acted, because he no longer felt like a hired hand. He had been with your family for quite some time, and no matter what happened, he wasn't about to leave now.

Your uncle could have thrown him from the premises and he still would have climbed back over the wall to talk try and rescue you.

You were now his damsel in distress, and no matter how tarnished his armor might be, he intended to be your knight.

And when he finally did rescue you, catching you one night as you stumbled towards your bed, you gave him a pleading look and whispered a request he'd never thought he'd hear slip past your lips.

And for a night, he left his vigilant post in the corner, and kept you company through the night.

_No more shame, she has felt too much pain, in her life  
>In her mind she's repeating the words<br>All the love you put out will return to you…_

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><p><em>I could not bring myself to add in dialog, because every time I tried it broke the flow of it and I didn't like it. So I left it all out. Problem solved! XD<br>_

_I really like Jin, in all his stoic bespectacled glory. I really hope I did him justice.  
><em>

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><p><em>The song<em> "Not Like the Other Girls" _belongs to:_ The Rasmus

Samurai Champloo and its related characters _belong to: _Shinichirō Watanabe


	25. Perfect Skin

_**Summary: **_And the day you ran straight into a purple-and-black-clad chest because you were trying to get away from a village that hadn't liked the way you smiled, you turned your bright eyes onto purple and caught your breath. His smile was as stunning as yours was.

_**Pairing:**_ Miroku/Reader

* * *

><p><em>You got a perfect skin,<br>With a Devils grin…_

You'd always been a girl who knew her own mind.

A girl who could tell you what she liked and why and would always be ready to speak her mind when the time came.

Even when you were little you were like that, and all your friends growing up around you had thought you odd for it. There was nothing wrong with being strong-willed, your parents had told you, but you had to be careful how you directed it.

You had to make sure you didn't insult someone who could end up hurting you.

So you'd listened and kept your opinions to yourself even when you thought that being taken down a beg might be the best thing for whoever you'd managed to stop from lashing out at.

You had rules you had to follow in your village and you planned to stick to them until you were old enough to get out and go see the world.

There were, after all, only so many things humans could do to a demon of your caliber, and you had no intention of letting them do it in the first place.

_Say hello to the pretty eyes,  
>Say hello to the deadliest lies.<br>You got the looks, baby,  
>I could die.<br>You got the looks.  
>You got a murder style…<em>

When you'd left the nest and fled the watchful gaze of your parents, you turned out to be less reckless than your family would have ever guessed. You took your time exploring the world, and you kept your nose out of trouble with the humans.

You weren't malevolent towards any human who didn't deserve it by their actions against you or your family, and you were always as nice as you could be to the ones you ran across.

You didn't trouble with trouble, and it certainly didn't trouble with you.

You could flit in and out of situations and villages without leaving a trace of yourself behind, and managed to walk the thin line between both worlds with ease.

Demons accepted you with open arms when they were made aware of which clan you hailed from, and humans couldn't ever turn away your sweet smile and mild manner.

You'd learned to lie early on in life, and you could do it so easily now that it came as second nature. Lying was an instinct now, a means to an end, and you used all your practice and skill to get what you needed when you needed it.

And the day you ran straight into a purple-and-black-clad chest because you were trying to get away from a village that hadn't liked the way you smiled, you turned your bright eyes onto purple and caught your breath.

His smile was as stunning as yours was.

"I beg your pardon, Miss, but can I help you?"

"I… I'm so sorry for running into you, Sir! I was merely trying to, ah, escape some rather unsavory clutches."

That smile turned just a little more devious, and he caught you around the shoulders. "Well then! Why don't I take you into much more pleasant clutches?"

You grinned, nodding once before you followed his lead. "Excellent plan."

_Say hello to the pretty eyes,  
>Say hello perfect alibis.<br>Shake your hips, baby,  
>I could die.<br>Shake your hips;  
>You got an L.A. style…<em>

Miroku was the least monk-like monk you had ever met.

And you'd met your fair share over the course of your life.

If the grin and the looks weren't enough, there was the flirting and innuendos and touching that topped the whole thing off perfectly. He was so out of the ordinary in his line of work you had to wonder why he'd taken up the profession in the first place.

And then the realization that the two of you were rather alike struck you, and you'd laughed outright into the evening air, making him jump.

"I'm sorry, did I say something amusing?" He asked, tilting his head off to the side as he looked over at you.

"No, no, I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you." You smiled back at him, carefully dodging around a large rock on the path he was leading you along, promising that comfortable beds and warm food waited at the end of it. "I just realized something I hadn't before, is all."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't voice his question, instead merely letting his gaze drift over you. "Earlier, you said you were attempting to escape, how did you put it, unsavory_ clutches_… Pardon my curiosity, but what made them so unfavorable?"

You blinked one, twice, and then opened your mouth, instinct giving into feeling this time as the truth slipped out unbidden. "They didn't take kindly to my being a demon, I'm afraid."

He looked less surprised than you were expecting, and instead of pulling a sutra from in his robes and screaming at you to be gone, he merely smiled. "Lucky me, then, to have the pleasure of your company instead!"

And those purple eyes were dipping over your figure again, and you had to wonder just how many other women had been on the receiving end of that particular look, because you rather enjoyed it.

The same way you enjoyed the way his arm casually slipped around your waist as he pulled you out of the path of a careless horseman who'd trotted past.

There was something inviting about Miroku. Something that made you _want_ to let him look at you that way, and look back in much the same manner, just to get even.

He was handsome in a way that wasn't usually found in humans, and it went deeper than just the skin.

_You can't keep me waiting forever, baby.  
>It's getting hot,<br>Who's going to rescue me?  
>You got a perfect skin,<br>With a Devil's grin.  
>You got a perfect skin,<br>Eyes like sin…_

The beds you'd been promised, comfortable or otherwise, turned out to only be in the singular, and Miroku did the perfectly gallant thing and told you to take it, because he was used to sleeping sitting up when he was on the road.

You did the perfectly _you_ thing and told him not to be silly, because two people would fit in it without any difficulty and you didn't mind sharing.

He'd gone a rather interesting shade of pink for a few moments before he'd smoothed his grin back into place and agreed. "As long as my scent won't offend you, or course." He'd added with a wink.

"I don't think there's much you could do to offend me, Miroku." You replied with a wink of your own, earning you another flash of that blush and another of those long, sweeping glances.

"I'll try to keep that in mind."

Miroku ended up being the kind of bed partner you enjoyed, in that he let you curl around him when having a bad dream, but refused to reciprocate without proper cause.

Not that you doubted his ability to drum up a proper cause on very short notice, but he didn't, and you respected and appreciated that.

And when you woke up to him slowly rubbing circles across your back with a small crease between his eyebrows and a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth, you had to blink several times before you realized you were both perfectly awake. "Sorry, did I do something…?"

"You were having a dream…" His expression cleared and he shook his head. "I apologize; I shouldn't have been so forward." The hand on your back stilled, and you found yourself taking on his earlier appearance.

"Don't stop," you mumbled, simultaneously pushing back against his hand and nudging against his collarbone with your nose, "it feels nice."

That devilish grin of his was back in a flash, and he winked at you. "I doubt it's the only thing I could do that would feel nice…"

You looked up into purple eyes that spoke volumes, and only hoped yours were saying the same. "I should certainly hope not."

_You got a perfect skin,  
>With a devils grin.<br>Perfect skin…_

* * *

><p><em>Love this song. Love this character.<br>_

_Thanks to _Methodical Madness_ for helping me choose him, and suggesting the song.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Perfect Skin" _belongs to: _The 69 Eyes

Inuyasha and its related characters _belong to: _Rumiko Takahashi


	26. Undisclosed Desires

_**Summary: **_You quickly made friends, and when Ciel paired you off to run errands for him, you most often found yourself in the company of one man in particular. And if you'd ever caught the smirks Ciel sent his butler as the two left the room, you might have begun to suppose it was on purpose. As it was, however, you missed the smirks exchanged and believed it to simply be luck that continued to put you together with the man you managed to get along with so well.

_**Pairing:**_ Lau/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I know you've suffered,<br>But I don't want you to hide,  
>It's cold and loveless,<br>I won't let you be denied..._

Your upbringing in good English society had certainly not been the easiest one, but you didn't hold how the private tutors your parents had hired treated you against said parents themselves.

You grew up knowing that you had to sacrifice certain things in life in order to get what you wanted, what you needed to survive.

Being the only heir to a large estate had not been as much of a difficulty as you might have once imagined, and when your parents passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, you decided you wanted to do something wise with the money and businesses they'd left you.

And when you wanted something done in England, there really was only one person you went to.

When you'd first gotten involved with the Phantomhive family, you hadn't quite known what to expect. There were rumors, of course, and you always had at least one ear open to such gossip, but you knew how to tell the difference between what was based in fact and what was pure conjecture.

You were smart, and it was one of the reasons why Ciel Phantomhive had agreed to let you join his company in the first place.

In a manner of months, however, you'd gone beyond simple investor, and Ciel had taken you into his confidence to meet the other members of, what you liked to call, The League.

It was an odd assortment of individuals by any standard, but you somehow managed to feel right at home among the rag-tag group, and promised Ciel that he would not regret your inclusion into the ranks.

You quickly made friends, and when Ciel paired you off to run errands for him, you most often found yourself in the company of one man in particular.

And if you'd ever caught the smirks Ciel sent his butler as the two left the room, you might have begun to suppose it was on purpose.

As it was, however, you missed the smirks exchanged and believed it to simply be luck that continued to put you together with the man you managed to get along with so well.

_Soothing,  
>I'll make you feel pure,<br>Trust me,  
>You can be sure…<em>

Whether out on an errand for the Earl or not, whenever you went places with Lau you felt… Safe. The China-man would always give you those slightly silly smiles and take you by the hand, stopping you before you went around a corner or tugging you gently in the correct direction when you were in an unfamiliar part of town.

The offhand manner he used with everyone and everything was a nice change to the way Ciel acted, and you liked the more relaxed air Lau always managed to exude, even when clearly under stress.

There was a soothing, calm atmosphere that seemed to follow him wherever he went, making it easier to carry out your orders or to relax once you'd successfully completed whatever task had been set to you.

Lau made you feel like you belonged, no matter where you happened to be at the time, and you liked that he never pressed you for information about your past.

There had been so many people who'd wanted to know about your parents' deaths, and you'd never been ready to talk about it when the questions had been put to you.

You didn't have to verbally dance with Lau, because almost by instinct he knew what subjects to avoid and which you enjoyed. He could laugh in the middle of Ciel's occasional interrogations of you and demand that he leave you alone in a way that didn't make it sound like a demand at all.

And any man who could do that deserved a great deal of respect.

_You trick your lovers  
>That you're wicked and divine,<br>You may be a sinner,  
>But your innocence is mine...<em>

When you needed a place to let your mind unwind, somewhere not inhabited by either Phantomhives or your own estranged family, it was Lau you turned to for a place to rest.

And although you often wondered what an Opium Den looked like, that was never the place he took you.

He claimed ladies like you didn't belong in places like that, and when you tried to ask why not, he would give you a signature smile and say, "you just wouldn't mix well."

So he took you to an apartment he kept in the city, and just by glancing around, it was easy to see it was his.

The colors swirled around the room like currents in an ocean, and the faint hint of smoke still lingered about the place even though he always swore that, "I never bring my, ah, _work_ home with me."

It was there that you forged your fondest memories together, spending hours doing nothing but sitting in each other's company because that was all you needed to feel comfortable with him.

And when you did talk, it was always about things that no one else had ever thought to ask you, because others would see them as childish even though they certainly weren't.

He was the first person to ever remember your birthday and give you the one Funtom toy you'd secretly been trying to get your hands on for the past month because it was just too cute to pass up.

And when he handed it over, his eyes opened long enough to take in the look of pure joy on your face before they slatted shut again, and that smile went from being soft and pure to silly and frivolous once more.

You slept with the stuffed animal at your side that night, running over the glimpse of soft smile you'd managed to see before it had vanished again in your mind as you drifted off into sleep. And although you never told him, you imagined that he knew.

_I want to reconcile the violence in your heart  
>I want to recognize your beauty is not just a mask,<br>I want to exorcise the demons from your past,  
>I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart...<em>

When Lau started escorting you about, even when you hadn't been given an occupation from Ciel, you didn't think twice about it because he's presence in your life had become so commonplace.

It was like having your best friend follow you around and make soft, snide comments to you when he knew you needed a bit of cheering up.

A best friend that, should you require it of him, could do any number of things to help you escape the world and whisk you away to paradises he created with a snap of his fingers.

He could do anything for you, and although he never said it outright, there were always gestures and comments that led you to that conclusion without any doubts on the matter.

Lau would have turned the world upside down if you'd asked him to.

At first, you'd assumed the reason behind it was akin to the reason he kept Ran-Mao around, because he saw you like a sister. Because he wanted to be sure you were kept close enough to keep an eye on in case anything went wrong. Because, for whatever reason, he cared about you.

But you weren't the one he pulled into his lap, weren't the one he took back to his Den, weren't the one he gallivanted across the town with on a whim.

You were the one he watched like a hawk and never let out of his sight, the one he would steal away from the world when you needed rescuing, the one he always treated with the greatest of care, as though you might break at a moment's notice.

"It isn't that I don't trust you, my dear," he'd whispered to you one night as you'd fallen asleep in his apartment, cradled gently against his chest, "but I don't want anyone else breaking my precious little doll."

And whether or not he knew you could hear him, you appreciated the sentiment all the same.

He might have been a strange man to everyone else, and certainly tricky to get to know, but it was always worth it for the way he treated you and treasured you, and made sure you were always safe.

He treated you as if you were breakable, because he was well aware of the fact that you were.

_Please me,  
>Show me how it's done,<br>Tease me,  
>You are the one...<em>

It had been a perfectly ordinary evening in autumn when he'd caught your wrist as you walked by and tugged you down into his lap as he sat on one of Ciel's couches.

Almost without thinking, you wrapped an arm around the back of his neck and arranged yourself more comfortably in your new perch.

Although Ciel had been far too busy going over the details of his most recent case with Sebastian to notice it right away, you caught the sly smirk on the China-man's lips and the slight flutter of his eyelashes as he glanced over at your face and then returned his attention to the young Earl.

It was the same perfectly ordinary day in autumn, although a few hours later, when Lau gently pulled you to one side before you entered the dining room in the mansion and smiled blandly at you. "We really must do something about that dress of yours, my dear," he breathed the next words by your ear, and your cheeks flushed at his tone, "I can hardly appreciate your figure to perfection when it's bundled under all that fabric."

The dress in question he produced as a substitute never saw the outside of your bedroom, but you couldn't help but giggle at the sentiment behind it.

You refrained from wearing dressed with bustles when you knew you'd be in his company, and he continued to pull you into his lap with a good deal of unnecessary flourish just to make the fact that you now sat there all the more obvious.

Lau continued to tease you about your taste in clothing, and you continued to tease him about his.

The day you found him standing outside your door in a tailored suit and exceptionally flowery cravat was the day you knew you were in love.

"You didn't have to wear that ridiculous thing, you know…" You muttered into your teacup, unable to take your eyes off him as he sat across from you.

"Oh, I know, but I decided that I might give it a try, just for a day." He frowned at his coat sleeves as though the deep, peacock blue buttons that rested there had personally insulted him. "I must say, though, I find it rather constricting."

You licked your lips, wondering if there was any comment you could make in return that wouldn't end up sounding completely inappropriate.

"I noticed you haven't worn the dress I procured for you as substitute for your usual attire," he pointed out, the hint of a smirk creeping onto his lips, "why is that?"

"You know very well why," you replied with a huff, "my nightgowns offer more modesty than that _thing_ you call a dress."

His eyebrows floated up his forehead. "Really now? I hardly believe that to be true…" The smirk was no longer a hint, but an obvious truth. "I would have to be convinced through unshakable evidence."

You stared at him for a full minute before his eyes fluttered open to stare at you, burning brightly in the light streaming in from the window.

"Would you be able to provide me with such evidence, or will we be forced to call a truce on the subject and separate, unsatisfied on all accounts?"

There were only so many things you could say no to in the world; and the look he was giving you combined with his tone was not one of them.

"I believe I can prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt," you replied softly, setting down your cup and standing, "if you'll follow me."

"To the ends of the earth, if you asked me." He replied; standing and offering you his arm. "And _certainly_ to your bedroom."

_Please me,  
>Show me how it's done,<br>Trust me,  
>You are the one...<em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Undisclosed Desires" _belongs to: _Muse

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	27. Vanilla Twilight

_This song was originally meant for someone else, but I decided it fit him_ _better. _^_^

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><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**Understandably, when you'd heard the name Starwind and Hawking, you'd been a little hesitant about going in to ask them for repairs. And it wouldn't have mattered what came out of that redhead's mouth, because the minute you laid eyes on him, you were lost.

**_Pairing:_**Gene Starwind/Reader

* * *

><p><em>The stars lean down to kiss you<br>And I lie awake and miss you  
>Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere…<em>

You'd always loved the idea of traveling through space.

Your mother had been a pilot in her day, but you'd never been allowed to go with her on the cargo runs she did, instead being left home to watch the stars and wonder what it would be like to float through them.

Space was the one place you thought you might actually feel at home, since you always felt constricted when you were on a planet's surface. You felt stifled, crowded, smothered.

You wanted to be able to go out into space and just drift, alone and comfortable amongst the stars.

Of course, that would mean learning the charts your mother kept in her study and practicing piloting and making sure you had a hell of a computer to run the rest of the ship.

You wanted to go into space, but you certainly weren't naive about the dangers involved. If you got lost out there, you were doomed.

At the same time, though, it was what you wanted more than anything, and you planned to get it if it was the last thing you did.

You'd dreamed about flying your own ship for as long as you could remember, and the day your mother handed over the title to your very own cruiser, you'd thought you'd died and gone to heaven.

The first time out, your mother had gone as your co-pilot, just to be sure you knew how to fly your glittering new toy, and you hadn't failed to impress her with the way you handled it.

You were a pilot now, and that meant you could take on jobs.

It also meant you'd have to find a mechanic you trusted to fix up your new baby when she got a little too friendly with a docking bay door or some competitor's guns.

Understandably, when you'd heard the name Starwind and Hawking, you'd been a little hesitant about going in to ask them for repairs.

But your mother had vouched for them, and if they managed to get past her screening test, then they were certainly good enough for you.

And it wouldn't have mattered what came out of that redhead's mouth, because the minute you laid eyes on him, you were lost.

And thank God that Jim actually knew what he was doing and what needed to be done to your ship, because you wouldn't have been able to tell him what the matter was if your life had depended on it.

And up there in the stars, it did.

_'Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly  
>But I'll miss your arms around me<br>I'd send a postcard to you, dear  
>'Cause I wish you were here...<em>

Jim was fun to talk to; you found out soon enough, and knew how to get you the parts you needed without charging you an arm and a leg.

Apparently he knew your mom pretty well, given the way his face would light up every time she entered the conversation. But your mom had that effect on people she liked, so it wasn't something you weren't used to.

Gene, on the other hand, was a handful. And not necessarily in a bad way, either.

He was the sort of guy you would certainly have noticed walking down the street, but at the same time he had a vibe to him that told you to stay at arm's length, because who knew what might happen if you didn't.

And speaking of arms, they had a habit of ending up around you in one way or another.

The first time had been completely innocent, and Gene had moved to catch you when you'd slipped on your way to take Jim one of the parts he needed to install. You'd both laughed it off and he'd warned you to be more careful with a wink that told you otherwise.

The next time, he was guiding you out of the way as Jim moved the car around and came a little too close by accident.

After that, you noticed whenever he got close to you, and every time he did, he ended up touching you. It didn't bother you, you actually sort of liked it, but you wished you could touch him back, or at the very least stop thinking about it every time you tried to go to sleep.

It wasn't until after your ship was finished being repaired that you realized you'd have to find another way to spend time around him.

Thankfully for you, Jim was neither dumb nor blind, and had noticed the way your eyes always wandered over onto his redheaded captain.

"He'll come back, you know, he always does." Jim had told you one afternoon when he'd been invited over for lunch. "If there's one thing in the world you can count on, it's Gene Starwind making it home." He'd cracked a grin when you'd sighed in relief. "The number of pieces involved, however…"

You'd kicked him under the table. "Not funny."

_I'll watch the night turn light-blue  
>But it's not the same without you<br>Because it takes two to whisper quietly..._

When Gene was planet-side with his boots firmly set on solid ground, you always contrived a reason to get together. It might be something as trivial as you needing to come by to pick up a part for your ship, or more elaborate, like talking your mother into inviting them for dinner to say thank you for all the work they'd done.

Whatever the reason, you made sure you saw him every time he came back, because you wanted to make sure he _had_ come back in one piece.

And the times you managed to miss each other by a manner of minutes because you had to make a run for whatever reason, you felt your heart sink at the thought that you wouldn't be able to see him.

The times you met out in space were rare and always a little weird, because you never really thought about the fact that he did this for a living, and that meant a lot of time spent in the stars.

On those occasions, it was Jim who provided you with an excuse to spend time with them; either saying there was a new addition to the Outlaw Star that he wanted to show you, or offering to have dinner in order to catch up.

And it didn't bother you that Jim knew you were head over heels for his captain, because he knew how to keep a secret, and didn't think it was necessarily the worst match made on the planet.

"And besides," he'd told you one night when you'd stayed up extra late chatting in the observatory of the space station you were docked at, "you're kinda like a sister already, so, ya know, I wouldn't mind having you around a bit more…"

You'd subjected him to hugs that he complained loudly about, but still reciprocated despite his apparent dislike of them.

_The silence isn't so bad  
>'Til I look at my hands and feel sad<br>'Cause the spaces between my fingers  
>Are right where yours fit perfectly...<em>

So Jim kept your secret, and so did you, and you never said anything to the striking captain about the way he'd managed to steal your heart and stash it away up there amongst the stars.

You still contrived ways to be around them, but slowly Gene would do the same, swinging by your house unexpectedly to deliver a part he claimed Jim had forgotten to include the last time, and then offering to install it so you wouldn't have to bother with it.

You couldn't be sure how long it had taken Gene to figure it out, or even if he had worked it out on his own, but you vividly remembered the first time he mentioned it.

He'd offered you a lift home one night when you'd had to stay late ordering parts with Jim, and you'd naturally accepted.

Halfway back to your house he'd pulled from the main road and turned the car off, tilting his head back to look up into the sky. "So have you had this massive crush ever since we met, or did it just strike you one day when we were fixing up that ship of yours?"

You'd been too surprised to answer, gaping at him instead, and when he'd turned to look at you, he hadn't laughed. He'd smiled.

"Don't feel bad. I have a bit of a crush on you too."

And without saying anything else, he'd turned the car back on and driven you the rest of the way home, only one hand occupied with the wheel while the other found yours and laced your fingers together.

From then on, it wasn't Jim who called to tell you when they'd be docking, it was the captain himself, and he'd always be sure to ask if you wanted to go do something together in the same breath because he couldn't wait for your response.

You'd always giggle like a school girl whenever you got messages from him, and on more than one occasion you'd look up to see your mother giving you odd looks from across the room.

"Can't say I blame you," she'd say with a grin, "I always had a thing for redheads too."

You'd roll your eyes and mutter something about mothers under your breath, but deep down you were glad that she didn't disapprove.

_I'll find repose in new ways  
>Though I haven't slept in two days<br>'Cause cold nostalgia  
>Chills me to the bone...<em>

You hardly went anywhere in the city anymore without Gene beside you, and he'd even escorted you up into space on a few of your runs when he thought you were taking an unnecessarily risky route.

He became a constant part of your life, and you liked that when you needed him he was there, even if he was worlds away sailing past some foreign star. He always answered your calls, and always made time when you needed him to.

But there were times when the Outlaw Star would take a hit that would knock out its communication systems, and even though you knew it could happen at any time, it always came as a surprise when Gene didn't call you, or Jim phoned instead.

And those nights were the worst, because you could never sleep when you thought something might be wrong.

And your mantra for making it through the times you weren't sure he'd be okay were the words Jim had said to you all those months ago when you'd first met.

He'll come back, you know, he always does. If there's one thing in the world you can count on, it's Gene Starwind making it home.

_But drenched in vanilla twilight  
>I'll sit on the front porch all night<br>Waist-deep in thought because  
>When I think of you I don't feel so alone…<em>

On the nights you couldn't sleep, you sat out under the stars and tried to think of which way to look in order to be looking towards them.

It was silly, you knew, but it always made you feel somehow less alone when the night was silent around you.

And the next time Gene called you, he'd start the conversation with "how late were you up last night, babe?" And no matter how much you tried, you couldn't lie.

So he'd wince and whisper softly about how sorry he was that he hadn't been able to get in touch sooner, but they were fine, and they'd be headed home soon.

In the interim between hearing his voice in your ear and actually feeling his arms around you, you'd remember everything that you'd gone through to get here.

The silly games you'd played to stay close to him, all the work you needed done that could have waited, and yet couldn't.

All the smiles you'd sent and received and the wonderfully freeing knowledge that after all that, he loved you too.

And it didn't matter how much time and space separated the two of you, he'd always come back, and you'd always be waiting for him.

_As many times as I blink  
>I'll think of you tonight<br>When violet eyes get brighter  
>And heavy wings grow lighter<br>I'll taste the sky and feel alive again..._

Your mother, in all her infinite wisdom, would fix you with looks that told you she might like you and Gene together, but she'd prefer you being together even more.

Strange to think of a mother trying to get her little girl to fly the nest, but then again, most mothers didn't give their daughters spaceships so they could do just that.

"I don't see why you don't just go up there with him." She offered one night across the dinner table, thankfully not in said redhead's company. "It'd make staying in touch a lot easier."

You stared at her blankly. "But… I mean, I have my ship and the routes, and…"

She'd cut you off with a glare. "Those are nothing but weights keep you from flying free. Sell the ship, join Gene's crew, go have fun at your dear captain's side." She grinned. "What could possibly be more fun?"

You had to admit she had a point.

But something told you that Gene might object to you being in the line of fire aboard his ship, and even though you and Gilliam got along rather well, you had a sneaking suspicion that he would probably take Gene's side.

Which meant it would be two on two, since you knew Jim would agree with you given his constant complaining about how Gene apparently pined after you whenever they were away.

When you broached the subject to the captain, however, his eyes lit up and he looked at you as though he were seeing you for the first time. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you were too bust thinking of how to get us back faster?" Jim offered from his seat across the room.

Gene's poorly-aimed projectile missed Jim's head, but given his preoccupation with your recent offer you weren't surprised. "But, are you sure you want that? I mean, it isn't exactly the safest occupation in the galaxy."

You'd given him a look comprised of both exasperation and affection. "Gene, the only thing I want is you. I can deal with danger as long as I get to fall asleep in your arms."

The smile he'd given you was warm and genuine before it quirked up mischievously at the corners. "Hey Jim, I think we'll have to upgrade the sleeping quarters… There isn't nearly enough room in my cabin for two currently."

You'd laughed while Jim had rolled his eyes, and realized that it really _didn't _matter if you were throwing yourself in the way of danger for the rest of your life.

Because you'd be with the redhead who'd stolen your heart.

_And I'll forget the world that I knew  
>But I swear I won't forget you<br>Oh, if my voice could reach  
>Back through the past I'd whisper in your ear<br>Oh darling, I wish you were here..._

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><p><em>This was actually the first series I ever owned on DVD. Thanks to my brother for introducing me to one of my favorite characters of all time. XD<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Vanilla Twilight" _belongs to: _Owl City

Outlaw Star and its related characters _belong to:_ Takehiko Ito


	28. You Got It

_A little different, perspective-wise, this time around.__  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: -AU- <strong>_Mugen's accusation stuck in his throat as he registered exactly who'd crashed into him and what the ultimate result had been. The display that had been off to his left and deposited nearly half its contents onto the aisle floor, and the girl who was now picking them up was way too cute to be real.

_**Pairing:** _Mugen/Reader

**_Warning:_** Very minor language

* * *

><p><em>Walk by,<br>So fly,  
>Yeah,<br>Listen!_

In all the months Mugen had been sharing an apartment, he'd never once had to be the one that got the groceries.

Jin didn't trust him to get all the right brands, or so he assumed, so he provided most of their rent, and his bespectacled roommate bought the groceries on the way home from work every weekend like clockwork.

But the idiot had gone and gotten sick, and now Mugen had been shoved out the door on his day off and told to get exactly what was on the list and nothing else.

Jin had even been desperate enough to hand over cash and tell him that it was exactly a dollar more than what he would need to buy everything, and if he didn't come back with change, Jin would never trust him again.

Not that Jin trusted him as far as he could throw him now, but Mugen got the idea.

The two had winded up moving in together during their first year of college and just never thought to change the arrangement. And even though Mugen hated to admit it, he enjoyed the company.

He'd lived on his own for long enough before then that he really had no intention of going back to it if Jin decided he could live with the current arrangement.

Besides his own concerns, Mugen had made a very drunk Jin confess one night that he sort of liked the company too, and that was enough to make him think twice about just walking out.

What he had thought twice about, though, was coming to the store in Jin's place, and when he'd wondered why they couldn't just have the stuff delivered, Jin had told him that they didn't do that, and Mugen had proclaimed it very, very lame.

So here he was, trying to make up his mind to have at least a little fun here and to mess with Jin's head when he got home.

Or at the very least kick his ass at Halo.

_I bumped carts at the grocery store,  
>Spilled that display things all over the floor,<br>But now I'm face to face with you,  
>Girl...<em>

Jin's list could probably have fed an army, except that Mugen recognized several different things that all combined to make Jin's-Super-Secret-Awesome-Stew, so he decided not to complain.

Besides, why deny himself the pleasure of eating Jin's food?

He'd admit to anyone who asked that, yes, Jin did most of the cooking, but whenever they had grilled anything, it was Mugen who took over, and Jin never touched the stuff.

The boys had a strange sort of understanding that they would pick up their own stuff and clean their own rooms, but when it came to things like cooking or maintenance, the larger load would fall to the one who was better at it.

Mugen was halfway through wondering why he always got shunted with the electrical duties when Jin's uncle _owned_ an electrical business, when a cart came around the corner unexpectedly and crashed into his.

The brunette doubled over the handle on his cart, trying to minimize the damage it might do to his stomach, and swore as he looked up.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"

Mugen's accusation stuck in his throat as he registered exactly who'd crashed into him and what the ultimate result had been.

The display that had been off to his left and deposited nearly half its contents onto the aisle floor, and the girl who was now picking them up was way too cute to be real.

"I was just in such a hurry I didn't think to look before I came around the corner… Are you okay, by the way?"

Mugen quickly stooped to help her clean up the display's mess, giving you a half smile. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Are you?"

You laughed a little nervously, picking up the last of the display's contents. "Ah, yeah, I am… Again, I'm sorry I ran into you."

He shrugged, hands sliding into the pockets of his shorts. "Nah, it's fine." He looked you over again, dark eyes catching on certain aspects of your appearance as they traveled along.

You gave him a soft smile and then returned to your cart, pulling it back far enough to dodge around him.

He watched you go; hand curling around something in his pocket before he remembered it was a list from Jin. _Right_. That's what he'd come to do.

He pulled the list from his pocket, cleared his throat, and tried to remember where he'd been headed.

_Could it be my eyes deceive,  
>There stands an angel shoppin' on isle 3,<br>Heaven must be shampoo…_

It took the befuddled brunette roughly a minute and fifty-two seconds to remember where he'd been heading and pull his cart around in that direction.

Seeing you hadn't been in his plan for the day, and now he had to wonder if you came here regularly, or if this was a onetime thing. Had Jin met you? Did you two talk? Was he just being absurdly paranoid and maybe a little creepy?

He conceded that the last might be true, but it wasn't every day a guy was lucky enough to run into such a pretty girl by chance.

When Mugen turned the corner to get the particular type of shampoo Jin demanded he spend extra time and money to get (the man had rights, okay, his hair was long and it took time and care to get it like that; and Mugen respected the fact that he wanted it to stay that way), he wasn't expecting to see you there too.

And if he'd thought you were cute before when you were apologizing, you were positively angelic while you worried your bottom lip between your teeth and looked up at the shelf in front of you.

He tried not to stare at you, he really did, but it was hard to look away when he had a completely legitimate reason to be here and was actually looking between you and the shelves trying to find the right bottle.

And then he spotted it, and let out a small strangled noise.

The bottle, all innocent looking and brightly colored, was even with your stomach and was practically laughing at Mugen as he tried to work out what to do.

He could wait till you left, but that would seem weird, especially if you turned around and saw him. He could just reach past you and snatch it, but it was doubtful his hand would behave on the trip there and back and besides, that was just rude.

So there he stood, trying to work out what the hell he should do about this stupid predicament, when you picked up a bottle, turned to put it into your cart, and saw him.

"Oh, sorry, am I in your way?"

And like a glorious ray of light from heaven, there was his chance. "Not really, I can wait." He grinned.

You smiled back. "Go ahead, that's the only one I need."

He took two steps forward, snaking an arm out to snag the stupid bottle and raised and nodded at you as he put it in his cart. "Thanks."

"No problem!" You zipped out of the aisle and to the left and he had to pull himself back down to reality and consult his list.

He was going to murder Jin for this.

Or buy him a present… He hadn't decided yet.

_You break necks when you walk by,  
>You got wings cause you're so fly,<br>You don't even have to try,  
>Baby you got it,<br>You got it..._

Mugen would never have described himself as one of those guys who stalks a cute girl through a store just because she's cute and he can claim it's weird coincidence, but he would have sworn that something was making him follow you unconsciously.

Every time he thought he had it beaten, and there was _no way_ you'd be in the seafood section looking for tilapia fillets of all things, you'd be there.

Just out of the blue, you'd appear from behind a display or emerge from an aisle, and he'd have to turn his head away or actually turn fully away so that you wouldn't notice him, or think he was watching you, because that would be creepy, and he really wasn't doing it on purpose!

It was almost more like you were the one following him around, because he would be minding his own business when you showed up out of the blue.

Of course, there was no way that was possible, so he put the whole thing down to excruciatingly weird coincidence and tried not to look your way whenever he caught a glimpse of you out of the corner of his eye.

And _not_ looking was also excruciating, but in a completely different way.

Living with another guy had its disadvantages sometimes, and Mugen would have been lying if he said not seeing girls wasn't one of them.

Jin had rules about that sort of thing, and if you broke them, he'd throw you out. Simple as that.

And when the rules had first been put in place, it had been the school year and they both had to work their tails off to keep up with classes, so it made sense.

But it was summer now, and on more than one occasion Mugen had flipped Jin off first thing after getting home because he'd been _that _close to bringing a girl back to their place, and then Jin's voice would sound in his head and he'd feel his spirits sink.

Sometimes rules were stupid and lame and deserved to be thrown right out their third-floor window.

_You go bang like a firework,  
>You got flavor like a desert,<br>I bet you look good in my t-shirts,  
>Baby you got it, you got it<br>You got it girl..._

And if there hadn't been rules tying Mugen's hands, he would have walked right over to you and asked you back to his place for dinner, because he knew Jin would be confined to bed and he could show off while letting his friend know he was missing out on both great company and good food.

God, was that tempting.

But Mugen didn't like the idea of Jin making good on his promise of throwing him out, even if you didn't seem like the sort of girl who'd spend the night (which was _perfect_, because he hated chicks who were too easy), so he kept his mouth shut and his mind on other things.

Things that weren't the way you'd tap your fingers against your thigh in a rhythm as you looked over your list, the way you'd play with your hair as you tried to decide which version of something to pick, or the way he'd occasionally catch snatches of whatever perfume you were wearing as you walked by.

Yeah.

_Totally_ not thinking about those things.

And he certainly wasn't watching the way your hips moved when you walked, or snapping to attention every time you got within twelve feet of him.

And there was no way on earth he was mixing up the things on his list and having to take longer than usual because he had to return them and get the right one.

He was ticking things off the list and doing this errand because he hadn't had a choice.

He _wasn't_ imagining you stumbling out of his room still half-asleep and wearing one of his over-sized t-shirts while you asked him what was for breakfast.

God, _so_ not thinking about that.

_I got a crush that's so hardcore,  
>You're breakin' my heart<br>Through the slidin' doors  
>Darling turn around,<br>Let me talk to you..._

Mugen still can't remember how he managed to make it through the rest of the list without either losing his mind or screwing the rules and just begging you to come home with him.

Either way, he managed to make it up to the checkout and looked up at the cashier in time to see you pulling into the line just one over from him.

He groaned, and the cashier looked confused for a moment before he assured the poor woman that it had nothing to do with her.

You had a few items less than him, and sailed off towards the doors before him, his eyes watching you the whole way.

He really needed to work on the staring thing.

He was just finishing up, paying with all but the one dollar Jin had told him he would have left, when he noticed the teller who'd helped you call out.

"Miss! Miss, you forgot one of your bags!"

Inspiration struck him like a slap to the face and he rushed out of the line with his cart and over to the teller. "Hey, does that bag belong to the girl who just left?"

"Oh, yes, do you know her?"

"Yeah," Mugen lied through a smile, "want me to give it to her?"

The relief was evident in the cashier's voice as he handed the bag over and Mugen headed off after you, thanking every god he could think of, every star he'd ever considered even the least bit lucky, and even Jin.

"Hey!"

You jumped at the summons, one hand rummaging in your purse for your keys as you turned to look at him. "Oh, ah, hey…?"

He smiled at the uncertainty in your voice and nearly laughed. "Sorry, you forgot one of your bags, the teller asked if I'd give it to you."

You blinked, peering into the bag he held out to you. "Oh! Wow, thanks, I hadn't realized."

"No problem," his smile got a little brighter as he took a deep breath and decided to just go ahead and try his luck, "hey, I know this is sort of out of the blue, but would you like to go out to dinner?"

You stared at him. "What?"

"Me, you, dinner. Tonight, maybe, or whenever is better for you if tonight is out." He kept his smile in place, even letting it turn into a bit of a cocky grin. It had been a while, but it hadn't been _that_ long.

"Oh, wow, umm…" He nearly melted when you actually blushed. "Yeah, that'd be great."

"Perfect. Okay, I'm going to kiss you now, so don't freak out on me."

"Wait, wha…?"

The rest of your sentence was drowned against his lips as they landed on yours, his hands landing lightly on your shoulders.

"Sorry," he murmured, pulling away with a smirk, "just had to make sure you were real. You had me going there for a while."

You managed a soft laugh as one of his hands slipped into your pocket and left something there.

"That's my number. Call me when you want dinner, I'll come pick you up."

You nodded distractedly as he pressed another hurried kiss to the corner of your mouth and started out the sliding doors.

Okay, he decided, _definitely _buying Jin a present for this.

_That girl,  
>She got it,<br>12 on a 10 scale,  
>Mmm she's flawless,<br>She got game,  
>Yep she got it,<br>Yeah I want it..._

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><p><em>Love Mugen to bits, and I love the way this turned out. XD<br>_

_Also, I love how Jin's had no dialog on in, and this one has quite a bit... *gigglescoff*  
><em>

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><p><em>The song<em> "You Got It" _belongs to:_ Family Force Five

Samurai Champloo and its related characters _belong to: _Shinichirō Watanabe


	29. Smooth

_**Summary:**_ There was something reassuring about being in Agni's presence, and no matter what cool demeanor he may have put on, you knew there was heat running just below the surface of him. A heat you would have loved to curl yourself around and never release.

_**Pairing:**_Agni/Reader_  
><em>

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><p><em>Or else forget about it<br>Oh, let's don't forget about it  
>Let's don't forget about it, yeah<br>Oh, no, no  
>Let's don't forget about it…<em>

You'd grown up as a child of high society, given every luxury that money could afford and showering you with both fame and fortune.

Your parents had forged their fortune through import and foreign trade, and it was by these means that you saw a great deal of the world as you traveled with them.

Your adventures were limited to Europe while you were still young, but once your parents deemed you old enough; you were allowed to travel abroad as well.

It was these long trips that you enjoyed most because the cultures were so very different in those countries than they were in yours, and it was wonderful to see the different rituals and art and people.

Through your travels you'd gained not only knowledge and experience but also wisdom with how to handle different peoples and countries. As the only heir, you would take control of the company when your parents died, and as much as you detested the idea, you were not naïve enough to think they would live forever.

The other thing you'd discovered while traveling, was your favorite place on earth.

For a long time before you traveled abroad when anyone asked, you would say that your favorite place was England; your home.

Once you had set foot outside of Europe, however, that opinion quickly changed.

India was your favorite place, now, and whenever your father went there on business you went with him to enjoy the wonders that it provided.

The colors in India were brighter, bolder, richer than any color you could find in England. Everything, from the sky to the tiniest little bug, was more alive here than at home, and you fell in love with the place the first time you set foot on its shores.

The air was rich in a way you hadn't known air could be, and when you breathed it in, you felt as though you were richer and bolder for it.

And the people there were the handsomest you had ever seen.

With skin darker than yours by shades varying from gentle mocha and hazel brown to darkest ebony, and eyes that burned like stars in a night sky, they were breathtaking in the sheer difference from everything you had ever been used to before.

India was the place you always promised yourself you would remain in business with, no matter what came, because you refused to give up this country to something as trivial as economy and convenience.

You would not abandon the one place you had always been accepted with open arms, no matter what storms had come before.

You would stand by this brave, bold country, and they had promised to stand by you.

_Man it's a hot one  
>Like seven inches from the midday sun<br>Well I hear you whisper and the words melt everyone  
>But you stay so cold...<em>

When you had gone to India, you were always sure to bring things back with you. Little trinkets to give to your family or friends, and whenever Lizzy saw you come calling, she instantly knew why.

This time, you had found her to be at the Phantomhive manner, and after a good deal of fussing by Lizzy and Sebastian, you were all seated outside in the warm summer air.

Tea was currently being served, and you watched Lizzy intently as she carefully opened the box you'd presented her with once she'd been seated.

"Oh, it's lovely!" She giggled over the bracelet you had brought her, quickly slipping it on. "What's it made from?" She asked, inspecting it closely.

"Jade," you answered promptly, pleased to see she was thrilled by it, "and I knew you'd want Ciel to match, so I brought him something made from it too."

The young Earl bristled, his fingers stilling against the ribbon holding his box together. "I beg your pardon?"

You laughed at his expression, leaning forward to put a hand on his arm. "Do relax, Ciel, I didn't get you a bracelet too."

He gave you a calculating look before he finished opening the box and stared at what was inside.

You never stopped loving seeing that look on his face. The surprise mixed with genuine enjoyment and gratitude.

"Thank you," he breathed after a moment, removing the jade cane-handle from its resting place, "it will look quite nice, I think."

Lizzy frowned slightly at it. "Oh, but it's not cute!" She gave you a look.

"Oh, but Lizzy, an Earl should never look cute. At least," you smirked over at him, "not openly."

He shot you an annoyed look before he presented the handle to Lizzy for inspection and watched her instantly squeal in surprise over one of the tiny carved elephants that adorned the side of it. "You always bring us things from India, but you never keep anything for yourself," he observed, "why is that?"

Memories of one of the last handsome young men you'd seen there flashed through your mind. "I'm afraid the things I would like to bring home wouldn't make the trip." You replied evasively.

Ciel gave you a knowing look and smirked. "Well then, perhaps we can fix that." He nodded to Sebastian, and the butler moved back into the house.

"Ciel," you raised an eyebrow at him, "what are you planning?"

"Nothing you won't enjoy thoroughly, I promise."

You were about to question him further when a voice called out to you and your head snapped up to look across the patio towards the doors into the house.

Sebastian was smirking as he walked back to his master's side, you noticed, and just behind him was a boy you recognized. "Soma!" You cried, practically flying out of your seat to meet him half-way in a tight hug.

"Ah! I did not know it would you be you when Ciel told me I would be meeting an old friend today! How have you been, it has been too long since we last spoke!"

You laughed, pulling back far enough to look him over. "I've been quite well, Soma, thank you." And then you recognized the man standing behind him.

Agni looked like he wanted to hug you too, pale eyes full of emotion and light as they gazed at you over Soma's shoulder. "Hello again, Miss." He breathed softly, inclining his head and breaking the stare he'd been directing your way.

"Agni," you resisted the urge to tip his chin back up and hug him as tightly as you had Soma, "it's good to see you."

He was smiling when he looked back up, you noticed, but Soma was talking and dragging you back towards the tea table, so you followed his lead, returning the soft smile.

The entire afternoon you tried not to grin too brightly, and you thanked Ciel properly with words and a look he knew conveyed so much more. The thing you really missed when you left India was the people, and Soma and his butler more than made up for everyone else you'd had to leave behind.

As you talked to Soma, you realized that Sebastian had relinquished serving rights of you to Agni, and you tried not to melt on the spot when his rich voice asked, "Miss, would you like more tea?"

There was something reassuring about being in Agni's presence, and no matter what cool demeanor he may have put on, you knew there was heat running just below the surface of him.

A heat you would have loved to curl yourself around and never release.

_My mu equita  
>My Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa<br>You're my reason for reason  
>The step in my groove, yeah...<em>

While Ciel tried to keep Lizzy entertained enough to not interrupt you and Soma as you discussed your favorite place and laughed at the stories you shared, Sebastian hovered by his master's chair, and Agni hovered by his.

He would smile at the stories being told, and occasionally comment or corroborate Soma's story when requested to do so, but his eyes never left your face.

And you didn't have to look up at him to know, you just did.

The first time you'd met Soma was in India, and Agni had stared at you then as well, although not as openly. At first you had assumed it was because you were English, and he was unaccustomed to foreign visitors, but he didn't stare at your parents.

He ducked his head respectfully to them, as was expected of a servant in aristocracy's presence, but you he'd dared to look at directly.

You'd thought it strange, but had dismissed it when you left, and had forgotten it entirely until you next returned, and he did it again.

Soma didn't seem to notice, so you thought it best not to mention it, instead gently broaching the subject to the butler himself.

"I apologize, Miss," he'd touched his forehead to the floor, tone soft as he whispered against the palace tiles; "I meant no offence in my gaze. You are quite captivating, Miss, and I merely wished to take in your beauty."

Eloquence born out of serving a prince and having to apologize often, you'd assumed at the time, but something about it had struck you. "You find me beautiful?"

"Many here do, Miss, but they were not as impertinent as I with their eyes."

You'd resisted the urge to giggle. "Raise your head, Agni."

He'd done so, sitting back on his heels with his gaze averted from your face. "You may punish me as you see fit, Miss, my prince has instructed that I serve you as I would him."

You'd reached out to touch his cheek, smiling when he didn't flinch. "I am not mad, Agni, and I will not punish you; I merely wished to know why you were staring."

That was the first day you'd ever seen him blush. "Your mercy is unwarranted. I should not have stared."

"But you did, and I was not offended, so we shall speak of it no more." You stood, smiling at him again. "Now, would you be so kind as to show me the gardens? Soma has told me they are quite lovely."

Today, now, back in Ciel's garden under the summer sky, Agni was still staring.

But now you knew why, and every once in a while, you'd stare right back.

_And it's just like the ocean under the moon  
>Well that's the same as the emotion that I get from you<br>You got the kind of lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah  
>Gimme your heart make it real<br>Or else forget about it..._

Lizzy left just after dinner, promising to come by again soon to see you and thanking you again for the present. You'd waved her off from the steps, and then returned inside to play chess with the young Earl.

Ciel went to bed long before either you or Soma, and as the clock over the mantel slowly inched closer to dawn, you caught Soma yawning and demanded he go to bed.

"But I want to stay up with you!" He complained with a sleepy pout, barely keeping his eyes open as he slouched in his chair.

You'd rolled your eyes, laughing softly. "Agni, see him up to bed, won't you?"

Soma opened his mouth to complain, but Agni dutifully scooped him up into his arms. "Of course, Miss."

You giggled as they left, and you stood and slowly made your way out of the parlor as well.

Despite your desire to sleep, you ended up following Agni as he took Soma up to bed, and once the prince had been deposited safely on his sheets, his butler turned to look at you.

"As there is nothing my prince will request of me until later tonight, is there anything I may do for you, Miss?"

The question caught you off guard, and you stood staring at him for a moment before you opened your mouth. "I would appreciate it if you saw me back to my room… There's something about this house at night that I do not trust."

Agni smiled, bowing his head as he slipped back out the door and closed it behind him. "I understand how you feel, Miss."

The walk back to your room was made in no great hurry, and you took your time moving through the darkened halls and writhing shadows of the mansion.

You walked in silence, except for the occasional creak of floorboards beneath your feet, and you didn't want to wake the rest of the house with any comments that might be made too loudly.

The silence suited you both well, though, and there was nothing uncomfortable to it. Agni had an air to him that made it impossible to feel uncomfortable in his presence, and it was one of the many things you liked about him.

You tended to gravitate to wherever he was, whether Soma was in evidence or not, and the longer you spent around him the harder it was for you to eventually leave his presence.

A gentle touch to your arm pulled you out of your thoughts, and you turned to see Agni looking concerned, a hand on your arm and the other on the door just to your right.

"Is this not your room, Miss?" He asked in a whisper.

You blinked, realizing you'd been about to walk right past it. "Ah! Yes, yes it is. Thank you, I must be more tired than I thought." You replied, just as softly.

Agni opened the door with a smile. "A good night's rest will resolve that problem, I believe." He ushered you in gently with a hand on your waist, and you slipped past him and into the room.

The door closed behind you, and for a moment you thought that he'd left before you could say goodnight, but then his voice breezed past your ear in another whisper.

"May I do anything else for you, Miss?"

You wanted to tell him that, yes, there was something else, but you held your tongue, reprimanding yourself for letting your thoughts get out of hand _again_. "Thank you, Agni, but I believe I'll be fine."

A contented hum rumbled into your ear, and then you heard the door open again, a soft whisper floating across the still night air to you. "Goodnight, Miss."

You turned around quickly, and noticed that he'd waited for you to do so. "Goodnight, Agni."

A smile that tugged at you was just visible in the gloom, and then he was gone past the solid wood of your door, and you wanted nothing more than to run after him.

_Well I'll tell you one thing  
>If you would leave it'd be a crying shame<br>In every breath and every word I hear your name calling me out  
>Well out from the barrio you hear my rhythm on your radio<br>You feel the turning of the world so soft and slow  
>Turning you round and round...<em>

The days that followed were filled with pleasant memories and wonderful moments.

For a week all you did was sit about the mansion with Soma and talk, Agni always hovering close by with his eyes fixed on you and that same smile haunting his face.

And you seemed to be the only one who noticed.

Or, at the very least, if anyone else did notice they made no comment, and for that you were relieved.

Agni's position as butler made no difference to you, he was an extraordinary and wonderful man, but his position to Soma did make a difference.

You would never want to come between them in any way, and if you fell for Agni, you were sure Soma would notice.

Correction, if you made it apparent that you already _had_ fallen for him.

Because there was no denying it now, not after a week spent in close company with him and trying not to blush or giggle like a schoolgirl every time he sent one of those smiles your way, or whispered something into your ear.

And Soma, so blissfully unaware of the whole situation, would merely continue to smile and share stories of what had happened since you'd last seen each other.

But the night Ciel informed you that he would not be home for dinner, having to go take care of some business in town, you felt your stomach drop because your reason for holding back was now disappearing into the distance in a carriage, and you were in the large house alone with the man you loved and his master.

You found you had no appetite at dinner, and for some reason you found it came as no surprise. "I apologize, prince, but I am not feeling well."

Agni was instantly at your elbow, a frown in evidence. "Is there anything I can get you, Miss?"

You waved him off distractedly, trying to forget the way his breath had played with the hairs on the back of your neck. "I'll be quite alright, I believe, once I lie down. Keep an eye on Soma, I'll be fine." You reinforced this with a smile, and exited the room with a straight back.

But once you reached your room you collapsed onto the bed and buried your face in a pillow. Any longer going on like this and you might explode from the pressure.

A little while later, you'd drifted off into sleep, and didn't awaken until a warm hand landed lightly on your shoulder, an even warmer voice speaking softly to you. "…Miss?"

You blinked up into concerned slate eyes and quickly sat up. "Yes, Agni, is anything the matter?"

He shook his head, expression clearing. "My prince asked me to bring you something to eat; he believed you might be hungry now, so I fixed something mild."

You noticed now the tray sitting on your desk. "Thank you, but I'm afraid I still have no appetite for it."

"What is bothering you, Miss?" He pressed, eyes reverting back to their previous emotion. "Are you unwell?"

You chuckled. "I suppose you might say that. But do not concern yourself with it, Agni, I'll be fine."

"I must concern myself, Miss," he replied gently, "my prince instructed me to serve you as I would him."

You blinked. "But that was years ago."

"He never took back the order, Miss, and even if he had, I do not believe I would have been able to obey it." The hand not keeping him propped up on the edge of the bed landed lightly atop yours. "I care for you, Miss, perhaps more than I should…" It was only the second time you'd seen him blush, and you committed the image to memory. "Please tell me if I am being too forward."

You would have laughed if you hadn't been so busy pulling him forward to press a kiss onto those eloquent lips. "Believe me, Agni; I doubt you could be too forward."

A chuckle rumbled through him, and you felt like you might melt into the covers around you. "I am pleased to hear it, Miss, but you must tell me when to stop or else I will certainly get carried away." He looked into your eyes and you saw that heat you'd always known was there rushing through them.

"I'm not sure if I will want you to stop," you managed to whisper softly, "but if I change my mind, I'll let you know."

His smile was as bright as the sun, and nearly as blinding. "Jou Aagyaa."

_And if you said this life ain't good enough  
>I would give my world to lift you up<br>I could change my life to better suit your mood  
>'Cause you're so smooth...<em>

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><p><em>This isn't a drabble, this is a battle station. XD<br>_

_Angi deserves it, though, because he's my favorite butler.  
><em>

_But remember, kids, favoritism is bad!  
><em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Smooth" _belongs to: _Santana

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	30. You're A God

_Song/character combo requested by: _Methodical Madness

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><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**From the first glance he'd known you were different, not like the girls that were sitting with Honey right now, or the ones who were currently enthralled with the twins, or those that shot you angry looks because you were unintentionally keeping Tamaki from them. You were a new, unknown creature that had managed to catch his eye, and there was something rather… admirable about that.

**_Pairing:_**Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka/Reader

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><p><em>Never again no<br>No never again..._

He'd noticed you from the first moment you'd set foot in the Host Club.

He hadn't meant to stare, really, he'd only meant to glance up at the girl that Tamaki was suddenly greeting, and then he'd, well… He'd lost the train of thought that led from _glance at the new girl_ to _make sure Honey's being responsible with his sugar intake_.

From the first glance he'd known you were different, not like the girls that were sitting with Honey right now, or the ones who were currently enthralled with the twins, or those that shot you angry looks because you were unintentionally keeping Tamaki from them.

You were a new, unknown creature that had managed to catch his eye, and there was something rather… admirable about that. That without trying, without wearing daring styles or vibrant colors, you could capture attention so completely.

But his eyes had eventually been torn away when Honey plopped resolutely into his lap, blinked twice in your direction, and then looked up into those solemn eyes with a grin. "Mori-kun likes her, huh?"

For the perhaps the first time since forever, Mori had dumped the little blond bundle out of his lap and made a hasty retreat across the room, away from the confused girls he'd been entertaining, and the all-too-knowing glances of the boy he'd just run away from.

It was irrational and out of character, but he couldn't help it. He didn't see it as retreating, no; he was going to get more coffee and tea because the table he was serving was almost out.

There were perfectly logical reasons for his behavior that had nothing to do with a new face in the Club and a blond who was far too clever for his own good.

You sat with Haruhi, that day, and something Takashi had sworn he'd buried deeper than anything else swirled in his stomach when he saw you laughing with the other Host.

There was nothing to be so worked up over, he knew that, Haruhi was a girl and had no inclination for romance, and you looked like you were just having fun. No doe eyes or staring, no sighs or bats of your eyelashes. Just fun.

But that sensation didn't leave with you, and when Haruhi stopped on her way to the back of the room and raised an eyebrow at him, he only just managed to not growl at her.

"Mori-sempai, are you alright?" She asked softly as the girls that had been sitting with him left the table after Honey, who had discreetly called their attention away from the stoic brunette. "You don't look so good."

"I'm fine." He rumbled back, keeping his gaze fixed on the blond boy across the room. "Don't worry about it."

She shrugged and carried on, and he tried not to think about the way he'd heard your voice carry across the room to Tamaki, promising that you'd come back again tomorrow.

And those new feelings in his bones couldn't be excitement and anxiety, because that was utterly absurd, and he didn't get like that over girls.

At least, he never had before.

_I've got to be honest  
>I think you know<br>We're covered in lies and that's OK  
>There's somewhere beyond this I know<br>But I hope I can find the words to say..._

You were sitting at his table.

He was silently trying not to panic.

He was currently on plan number five, pay complete attention to Honey and not you in the slightest, but the little blond was onto his scheme and kept asking you questions, specifically so that he couldn't ignore your voice or the way your mouth moved, or how nice your laugh sounded whenever Honey called you _chan_.

The strangest, oddest, completely ludicrous part was that Mori was sure you wanted him to talk to you. You'd look between him and Honey when you answered the latter's questions, and you'd look almost expectant when there was a lull in the conversation, and he happened to look up just in time to catch your eye.

You spent the whole day there with him; even when Honey went running off in search of sweets with his other customers.

And then in one scary moment when you two were completely alone, you asked him a question and he felt his stomach clench the instant your mouth opened and your eyes looked up into his.

"If I came back tomorrow and requested you… Would you be offended if I brought my homework? I love it here in the Host Club, but I almost feel a little guilty that I'm not doing work."

That discomfort in his stomach refused to give him the breath he needed to get something out besides "yeah", and he felt like a fool for not giving you a more complete answer.

And then you smiled brightly, and he swore the wind went right out of his lungs. "Thanks, Takashi-san."

And _no one_ called him that here. No one _ever_ called him that here. And hearing you say his name made his mind spin in a way it had absolutely no right to, and he was sure the room was spinning now, because of it. "Mori," he wanted to bite his tongue for getting ahead of his brain, "call me Mori."

You blinked twice and then smiled, blessedly slightly, and nodded. "Mori."

Honey came barreling back with a grin that could rival the twins, and Takashi had never been more grateful to the boy's presence in his life.

_'Cause you're a god  
>And I am not<br>And I just thought  
>That you would know<br>You're a god  
>And I am not<br>And I just thought  
>I'd let you go...<em>

You brought your homework the next day and he sat at the table with you while you wrote and calculated equations, and every now and then when you sat back with a frown, he'd lean just a little closer and offer up his help.

He'd known when he first saw you there's was something magnetic and special about you, and as he sat there and watched you work, he tried to figure out what it was.

It was akin to the same force Haruhi had, that made people like her just for her, but with you it felt different. You weren't the sort to bend into new shapes to make people happy, and the fact that you could sit there and do your homework while surrounded by attractive guys certainly gave you bonus points.

Not that Mori thought of himself that way, but people had said things to him once or twice.

He hadn't ever believed them.

He knew he was nothing really truly special. Not like Tamaki with his charismatic character or Kyouya with his brilliant mind. Not even like Honey, with his brains and bright smile.

He was just… Him. Tall and quiet and possibly a bit too good at martial arts for a guy his age.

He wasn't… He wasn't like _you_.

With the smiles that came in a variety of styles, and the looks that spoke volumes and the aura that drew people in like bees to nectar. And you were certainly sweet enough to warrant the comparison.

And that thought alone sent him scurrying, rather like an overgrown spider, to the far side of the room on the pretense of getting you more tea, and he had to stand there pretending to fix it for a full ten minutes while he put his mind to rights and tried not to think about the pair of eyes he could feel prodding into his broad back.

You were different than the other girls because he _liked_ you. Genuinely, completely, and for no reason that he could pin down or spit out, and that made him feel a bit queasy for another unknown reason entirely.

_But I've been unable  
>To put you down<br>I'm still learning things I ought to know by now  
>It's under the table so<br>I need something more to show somehow..._

You kept coming back, and Mori couldn't understand why for awhile.

Kyouya clearly disliked the fact that you brought your homework, but you were a paying customer, and Mori would have ripped him a new one if he barred you, so you were allowed to stay.

Honey took up residence at another table entirely so as to let the two of you sit in peace, and Mori almost missed having the little blond as a shield of sorts to keep you, and the strange feelings those looks you gave him elicited, at bay.

But there you sat, scribbling away, and there you continued to sit for a whole month as he watched you work and wished his tongue didn't feel like it was made of lead.

He wanted to tell you how much he enjoyed the company, odd as it sounded, and how much he liked having you there with him, even if all you did was sit and work.

With you it didn't seem to matter whether you talked at all or not, because just knowing you felt comfortable enough around him to work was nice, and when you'd ask him for help on problems he felt his heart start to pound unbidden against his ribs.

It wasn't until one afternoon when you finally finished with your homework for the day and leaned your head against his shoulder for a nap that he realized how much he wanted to pick you up and tote you off somewhere more suitable.

He resisted the urge, but it made him wonder if you wouldn't be so opposed to the idea. Would you let him sweep you up off your feet and run away with you somewhere? Would you mind?

Would you ask him to?

And as you sat there and drifted off to sleep, he had to keep his eyes off your face and focused on anything else at all in the room, because it wouldn't do to have you wake up to him staring and have you ask him why.

Some part of him, the same part that had jumped to attention that first day you'd walked in, wasn't surprised you had this effect on him, and actually seemed to be pleased about it.

He tried to ignore it in, but it was hard to do with you so close by.

_I've got to be honest  
>I think you know<br>We're covered in lies and that's OK  
>There's somewhere beyond this I know<br>But I hope I can find the words to say..._

Mori pretended like there's was nothing wrong. Or, at the very least, he tried to.

He acted as though there was nothing to it when he wore shirtless costumes as he sat at the table with you, and acted like it was the most natural thing in the world to randomly take off from said same table in order to get you more tea the instant you ran out.

Kyouya sent him knowing smiles, and Honey gave him those rare grins, and he ignored them both because they didn't need to know what was going on behind his ribs whenever you smiled up at him and thanked him softly for the tea.

He could deal with this, get over it, get past it, and move on. He could pretend like this was nothing at all and it was _so easy_ to simply act like you were just another customer, because he didn't know how you would have taken it if he'd admitted the way you made his heart race.

Gods didn't fall for mortals like himself, they fell for other gods, and that was a simple fact of life. All the beautiful people wound up together, and the ordinary Joes had to get on along without them.

And one of these days you'd figure that out and move along yourself, because you were destined for better things than sitting at a table with a boy like him. And the sad fact was he wished it were otherwise just so that he could keep you to himself a little longer.

The day he walked into the 3rd music room and found it deserted but for a single table where you sat, he instantly thought the day had arrived where you'd tell him what a little ant he was compared to you, and you'd had enough of this charade.

"Mori-sempai," your tone was soft, perfect for the killing blow, "there's something I wanted to give you."

The note sitting at the empty chair was innocent and clearly intended for him to read. He sat and did so, pretending it didn't feel like walking up the steps to a noose.

Except that his stomach didn't plummet down through the floor as he read what was written there, but did several impressive backflips as he realized that what you were trying to say was the perfect opposite of what he'd been thinking.

_You're a god, Mori-sempai…_

He sat there in silence for the better part of ten minutes before you stood and started for the door, a quiet apology on your lips as you ran away from what you'd read as rejection. He caught you before you got far enough to get away, and did what he'd wanted to do ever since you'd sat at his table.

He kissed you.

And it wasn't the sort of kiss that you hear about in passing, but the kind that authors spend pages describing, because of all the feeling it conveyed. You had the distinct impression there was something you'd missed in the month and a half you'd been coming to the Club, but you decided that could wait as you slowly came back to Earth and let him hold you gently, as though he might break you if he wasn't careful.

"I'm not going to let you run away," you could barely hear him as he whispered into your ear, "I'm going to carry you off somewhere no one will bother us."

A shiver raced up your spine and you tried to ignore it. "I like the sound of that. Could you do that for me, Takashi, could you sweep me off my feet?"

His heart gave a strange sort of flutter at the sound of that request, and he instantly did as requested, arms strong as they held you close. "No more running."

The smile you gave him bordered on blinding, and you nodded firmly. "For either of us, alright?"

He smiled, a tiny upward twitch of his lips, and nodded. "Alright."

_Never again no  
>No never again...<em>

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><p><em>I feel terrible for letting this go unfinished for so long, but oh well. It's finished now!<br>_

_Expect more chapters soonish, I plan to work on this story for the next week and get the next several chapters done._

_Requests are welcome, and I swear they won't take as long as this one did. XD  
><em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"You're A God" _belongs to:_ Vertical Horizon

Ouran High School Host Club and its related characters _belong to: _Bisco Hatori


	31. Hot Blooded

_Originally, I had a different song picked out for him, but then this afternoon I heard this and was struck with inspiration. I personally love it.  
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><p><em><strong>Summary: -AU- <strong>_Inuyasha wasn't sure where Kagome had found you, given that you didn't look like you belonged anywhere _near_ a camp, but he certainly wasn't complaining. You were, well… To put it in the words of one of his campers, "_hot as hell and just as sinful_."

**_Pairing:_**Inuyasha/Reader

**_Warning:_**Mild language.

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><p><em>Well, I'm hot blooded, check it and see<br>I got a fever of a hundred and three  
>Come on baby, do you do more than dance?<br>I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded..._

When Kagome had asked him to help out at the camp over the summer, he'd agreed without thinking, assuming it would only be for a few weeks.

He's been wrong.

Three months of being a counselor would get to _anyone_, but especially to Inuyasha. He was sharing a cabin with Koga, of all people, and he swore that Kagome had done it on purpose in order to get them "_back on speaking terms_".

The two didn't hate each other, exactly, but they were usually less than friendly unless they had to be. So Inuyasha was currently tolerating the brunette and his loud voice in the small space of the cabin, and the other was putting up with him hating mornings with a fierce passion and setting a bad example for the campers.

But there were perks to being able to boss around bratty kids that had been shipped off by their parents for a week or two, and one of them was, frankly, _you_.

Inuyasha wasn't sure where Kagome had found you, given that you didn't look like you belonged anywhere _near_ a camp, but he certainly wasn't complaining. You were, well… To put it in the words of one of his campers, "_hot as hell and just as sinful_."

He'd cuffed the poor kid for that one, but mostly because he was right, and that sort of thing did not need to be coming out of a twelve-year-old with acne.

But yeah, in his opinion it was a perfectly valid description of you, and it was hard to hit the kid instead of high-five him because Inuyasha couldn't have said it better himself.

If pressed he probably would have admitted that the insane heat out here and the fact that he was stuck in a cabin with ten adolescent boys might have had something to do with his sudden inability to keep his eyes off you, but he didn't care.

And you didn't just have a great body, although _damn_ were you fine, but you had a great sense of humor too, and that earned you points with the white-haired boy.

He would even go so far to say that you were just the right amount of immature, seeing as you doused one of your campers with a bucket of water for not getting up on time, and he was all for that sort of behavior. Although he would have murdered anyone who tried to throw water at him, asleep or otherwise.

You were in charge of cabin six, along with Kagome, and Inuyasha had decided that by the time the kids left he'd get you alone and let you see just how hot blooded he currently was.

And if the way his skin prickled hotly whenever you were within ten feet of him was any indication, he was pushing the hundreds with his current temperature.

_You don't have to read my mind, to know what I have in mind  
>Honey you oughta know<br>Now you move so fine, let me lay it on the line  
>I wanna know what you're doin' after the show...<em>

As the days went by, Inuyasha found it harder and harder to keep his hands to himself, and wound up touching you in the most innocuous ways possible just to make the heat in his veins go away, at least for a little while.

It always came back, though, and usually with a vengeance.

In the middle of the most mundane activities he'd catch sight of you out of the corner of his eye and suddenly he couldn't pay attention to whatever it was he'd been doing. Which usually resulted in Koga giving him an earful, but he really couldn't bring himself to care once you smiled at him the way you always did when you walked by.

And when you cheered for his team in whatever game or competition they were competing in, he worked that much harder at winning just so he could hear you cheer.

And then one afternoon your team was the one swimming a relay against Ayame's cabin and he was sure his head would explode from the sudden surge of heat that seeing you climb out of the pool brought on.

After that he decided something needed to be done. Something that involved both of you without any prying eyes and a good deal of contact going on.

The only issue with this grand scheme was that during the week you were needed, and on the weekends between waves of campers you had things to do in order to get ready for the next barrage of brats.

Inuyasha decided that schedules were of the devil and should be sent straight to hell, but given that he would invoke the wrath of Kagome if he tried to get around his own duties, there was nothing for it but to hope Fate would be nice just _once_ and throw the two of you together sometime when you could actually take ten minutes to be in each other's company without something else going on.

Well, Inuyasha amended, without something camp-related going on.

He had a list of things he would be happy to have going on, but none of them involved screaming. _Kids_ screaming, he amended again. You doing so, however, was another matter entirely.

_Now it's up to you, we can make a secret rendezvous  
>Just me and you; I'll show you lovin' like you never knew...<em>

It took another week and a half for Fate to get its head on straight and give him the absolutely perfect opportunity to show you exactly what your sauntering about the place did to him.

Not that he thought you did it on purpose, but that was beside the point. You walked past, and his internal temperature spiked up past any sort of healthy level.

The thing was, though, whenever you asked if there was something else you could do for him, which you _always _said with the most freaking _innocent _smile, the only thing that popped into his head were absurdly cheesy pick-up lines that had no business vying for position on the tip of his tongue. So every time he'd shake his head and grin, because if he opened his mouth you'd probably slap him, and you would be completely justified in the action.

But one night, when the campers were gone and clean-up was finally finished, you all sat around a table in the kitchens and sat with your feet propped up because you had friggin' _earned it_ after the crap the last set of kids had pulled.

"I swear; this is the last time I take on rich kids." Kagome lamented, nursing her personal carton of ice-cream. "I don't care how much their parents pay us, it's not worth it."

Jinenji, who led all the equestrian activities for the kids, chuckled softly. "I don't know, Kagome, they weren't so bad this time."

She pointed her spoon at him threateningly. "Only because _you_ didn't have them in the cabins!"

Koga laughed. "She has a point, man; there was this one kid in ours who was a total brat."

Inuyasha was only half listening to the banter, most of his attention directed on you and the way you were currently cleaning your spoon of sticky vanilla ice-cream.

Miroku, who had been quiet up till now, snorted softly, and shrugged. "I think we should try something different with them, next time."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to send him a snippy reply when something cold and hard smacked into his red-clad chest. "The hell…?" A spoon was lying in his lap, vanilla ice-cream dripping off it slowly and sinking into the fabric of his jeans.

"I am so sorry!" You looked nearly as surprised as Inuyasha, and he realized that the spoon was yours. "I have no idea how that happened, it just…"

He stood up, walking around the table to plop the spoon back into your carton before he moved off towards the wash rooms. "Relax, it'll wash out."

He would have been lying if he said his heart didn't suddenly start pumping at a completely break-neck speed when you stood up and followed him, mumbling something about trying to help him get it out.

And yeah, there went his skin again, getting all hot and prickly and way to warm to be a good sign. Fate had finally gotten the damn idea and sent him a shot.

_If it feels alright, maybe you can stay all night  
>Shall I leave you my key?<br>But you've got to give me a sign, come on girl, some kind of sign  
>Tell me, are you hot mama? You sure look that way to me<br>Are you old enough? Will you be ready when I call your bluff?  
>Is my timing right? Did you save your love for me tonight?<em>

When he peeled his t-shirt off and plopped it into the sink, he was rather smug to see a faint flush bloom up into your cheeks and settle there comfortably while he started filling the sink with water and pouring some soap in.

"You… You could just spot it, you know." You muttered from behind him, trying not to stare at the large expanse of tan skin suddenly on display to you.

"Yeah, but then I'd have weird damp spots on my shirt," he leaned back against the counter and folded his arms, eyes carefully trained on the rising water level in the sink, "this way I'm perfectly justified in screwing the shirt entirely while it dries."

That flush of yours kicked up the luminosity a notch, and he barely bit back a smirk. "Right…"

"Not sure what I'm gonna do about my jeans, though…" He trailed off meaningfully and saw the way you pointedly didn't look his way while your cheeks burned a bit more brightly. "No way am I spotting them and having Koga crack jokes all night."

"You could wait till you get back to your room…" You offered up softly, finally glancing his way to where the ice-cream had left a stain on his left leg. "It's not as bad as the shirt was."

He shrugged, switching off the faucet and setting to work rubbing the stain from his shirt. "I guess I could."

"I'm sorry again, by the way," you offered once his back was turned, "I really don't know what happened."

"Don't worry about it." He answered automatically before any lame lines could slip out. "It's not your fault."

"Still, I wish there was something I could do," your voice was a little less tentative this time, "to make up for it, I mean."

Inuyasha stopped scrubbing and looked over his shoulder at you. "What did you have in mind?"

Your blush was still in evidence, he noted, and you weren't looking at him as you shrugged slightly. "Whatever, you know."

He stared at you. "C'mere."

You slipped closer, and then jumped about a mile in the air when his lips landed on yours _finally_, and he pressed a little harder just to be sure you got the message loud and clear.

If the way your nails were biting into his skin was any indication, then yeah, you'd read his message right.

"If I accidentally misplace my spare key into your back pocket, do you think you could get it back to me later?" And that had actually sounded worse in his head than it did out loud, and maybe these lines weren't such a bad immediate reaction to you being around.

"That would certainly be a possibility," you mumbled back past the haze of his mouth on your pulse, "since I'd clearly have to check in and make sure those jeans of yours aren't ruined by my clumsiness."

"They might get ruined for another reason entirely if you're not careful." He grinned sharply at the way your breath hitched for a second as his hand slipped casually into your back pocket. "But I'm willing to take the chance."

And as fast as it had started, it stopped, and he went back to washing his shirt like nothing had happened, because he was about ten seconds from forgetting all about _his_ shirt in favor of getting rid of _yours_.

You casually slipped out of the room and off down the hall, and Inuyasha had to try and keep his mind on the task at hand instead of what would be waiting for him back in his room.

Fate, he decided, was clearly and under-appreciated artist.

_Girl, I'm hot blooded, check it and see  
>Feel a fever burnin' inside of me<br>Come on baby, do you do more than dance?  
>I'm hot blooded, I'm hot blooded...<em>

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><p><em>Like I said, this wasn't originally the song I had intended for him, but I love it. Hurray for classic rock. X3<br>_

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><p><em>The song <em>"Hot Blooded" _belongs to: _Foreigner

Inuyasha and its related characters _belong to: _Rumiko Takahashi


	32. Fly Me To The Moon

_**Summary: **_You'd known Jim a long time, nearly as long as you'd known Gene, actually, and the fact that he'd grown up into a handsome young man certainly hadn't escaped your notice. Neither had his bright smile and even brighter eyes, or the way he looked at you across the room that was both familiar and foreign at the same time.

_**Pairing:** _James "Jim" Hawking/Reader_  
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><p><em>Fly me to the moon<br>Let me swing among the stars  
>Let me see what spring is like<br>On Jupiter and Mars..._

They had told you no since the moment you'd first had the idea, of course, but that didn't stop you from trying again and again.

You wanted to ride up there with them some time, just past the atmosphere and out into the deep unknown.

But Gene had known you since you were little, and he wasn't about to let you go do something utterly reckless just because you felt like it. Which, if you were being honest, tended to happen more than exactly recommended when you were the one making the choices.

But you could understand his reasons for wanting you to stay put on the ground, and respected his wishes about it, but planned to let them guide you about as much as you planned to hi-jack the Outlaw Star and go for a joy-ride. And as tempting as that sounded, you didn't want to give either Gilliam or his redheaded captain a heart attack.

There were other people's feelings to consider too, of course, but you tried to push thoughts of the blond copilot to the back of your mind whenever Gene asked you to come over and help them deliver a shipment of something or patch up parts of the Outlaw Star.

You'd known Jim a long time, nearly as long as you'd known Gene, actually, and the fact that he'd grown up into a handsome young man certainly hadn't escaped your notice.

Neither had his bright smile and even brighter eyes, or the way he looked at you across the room that was both familiar and foreign at the same time.

Jim was, well… He was certainly the sort of pirate you would have wanted to kidnap you, if you'd had to choose one at all. Both brilliant and brave, he was the kind of kid anyone would have wanted to get to know better. You especially.

But you had other things on your mind than just getting Jim up in a spaceship so that maybe you could get the courage to tell him how you felt. You genuinely wanted to see what the world looked like from the star's point of view, and Gene was just being stubborn about you not going.

But there were ways around that, you were sure of it, and you would find them if it was the last thing you ever did.

_In other words, hold my hand  
>In other words, baby, kiss me...<em>

In the end, all it took for the redhead to change his mind was a little smooth talking from a certain young mechanic and yourself, and both the captain and his computer caved to your insistence that it would be fine if you went along just once.

So along you went, with Jim guiding you by the hand through the entire ship as he showed you around, and you trying to keep your heart from beating its way right out of your chest from the feeling of you hand in his.

It shouldn't have made you react this way, something as silly and childish as his holding your hand, but you couldn't help it. With Jim everything felt so much better, so much brighter and more brilliant.

Gene, for all his occasional cluelessness, caught onto the way you looked at his first officer much faster than you would have thought possible, and he pulled you to the side one night when Jim was busy helping Melfina make dinner. "You could have just told me why you wanted to ride along, you know."

You'd given him a flat look and rolled your eyes. "It's not like that. I really did want to see the view from up here."

He'd given you a signature grin and shrugged, moving back towards the dining hall. "Whatever helps you sleep…" And he'd given you a wink that spoke volumes, and heat shot straight into your cheeks.

You couldn't talk to Jim for the rest of the evening, and it got to the point where even Melfina noticed something going on, but remained blessedly quiet on the subject until you were well on your way to your room.

Jim followed you, of course, because your silence had concerned him, and it was sweet of him, really, but you couldn't handle seeing that confused, clueless look on his face while he asked you what was wrong.

So you tried to avoid him, and when he finally cornered you, he did something so unexpected you were totally speechless for the next two days whenever you found yourself in the same room as him.

He pressed a soft, quick kiss to your cheek and gave you his sweetest smile. "Feel better soon, alright?" And he dashed off again before you could tell him that you wouldn't be able to feel much better than you did just then, because that was physically impossible.

_Fill my heart with song  
>Let me sing forever more<br>You are all I long for  
>All I worship and adore...<em>

Jim seemed to get the hint after that, and whether it was because he'd worked it out himself or because someone had dropped him a hint you weren't sure.

But you honestly couldn't bring yourself to care because now he would ask you to take walks with him around whatever space-station you'd be docked at, and nine times out of ten he'd give you that soft smile of his and slip his hand around yours and lead you off somewhere beautiful.

It was nice, whatever this now was, and you liked knowing that the boy you'd been longing for all this time liked you back, and there was something genuinely wonderful in the way you two didn't have to talk to understand what the other meant.

It was just… _there_. Just below the surface and yet somehow so very visible and out in the open, even if no one else could see it. It was so clear to the both of you what you meant to each other, and no one would be able to take that away from you, no matter what they might have said or done.

It was perfectly commonplace for you to join the Outlaw Star's crew on voyages now, always being notified a few days before they headed out so that you could come by early and help them load up.

Although Gene regularly accused you of doing no such thing and merely slacking off with Jim so the two of you could, as he put it, "waste time making cute faces at each other", you knew he actually liked that you'd both found someone. Liked it even more that it happened to be each other.

It was the sort of thing that made you feel light as you walked down the street hand-in-hand, or made you smile into the darkness when you woke up next to him. The sort of thing other people spent their lives searching for, but you had happened upon almost by accident.

The sort of thing you knew you'd never lose, because it would take a force greater than any in the known worlds to tear you two away from each other.

The sort of thing you only got one shot at, and you knew you'd gotten yours right, because there couldn't be a feeling better than the one you got when he smiled your way and whispered softly into your ear…

_In other words, please be true  
>In other words, I love you...<em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Fly Me To The Moon" _belongs to: _Frank Sinatra

Outlaw Star and its related characters _belong to:_ Takehiko Ito


	33. Are You Gonna Be My Girl

_This went through at least three different rough drafts before it became the story you see before you. I have no idea why it was so troublesome. XD  
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><p><em><strong>Summary: -AU-<strong> _You liked coming here for another reason entirely, not that you'd tell your girls that, and it could be found in the form of one particularly handsome brunette who always occupied the same booth in the back of the club, arms folded over his plain gray shirt, eyes keen and searching.

_**Pairing:** _Koga/Reader

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><p><em>I say you look so fine<br>that I really wanna make you mine..._

On any given weekend, it would be safe to assume that you'd be out on the town, enjoying your newly-graduated freedom from school. You'd given entirely too many years of your life to education, and now that you were finally done you wanted nothing more than to celebrate the fact and let everyone who'd listen know that you were free.

And usually, on these said weekends, you'd go out of your way to have fun just so that you could relish in the fact that when Monday came, you'd be able to crash back at your apartment and pretend the rest of the world didn't exist for a few days before you went back out to do it all again.

It was the ultimate cycle of wash, rinse, repeat. Except without the suds and bottles of hair-care products.

The only thing that ever really got to you, in the maelstrom of clubs and constant entertainment, was the simple fact that you usually came home alone. And seeing as you shared the apartment with one of your closest friends, not bringing boys home wasn't really a bad thing. Kagome was a great girl and all, but there were boundaries that even she wasn't willing to push.

The two of you would go out as often as possible, of course, usually with an entourage of at least another girl or two, if you could coax Rin into doing something reckless without her guardian finding out, or if Sango decided to take a break off from her work to go have fun with her friends.

But whatever number your party consisted of, there was never a limit to how much fun you could have, or how much mischief you could make for the rest of the world.

And, frankly, how much trouble you could cause for the boys who tried to join in on your little troupe, and were quickly kicked to the curb.

_So 1, 2, 3, take my hand and come with me  
>because you look so fine<br>and I really wanna make you mine...  
>Oh, 4, 5, 6 c'mon and get your kicks<br>now you don't need that money  
>when you look like that, do ya honey...<em>

There was one club, located back behind a multitude of neon lights and bouncers with regimental lines marked out in black tape; that you always went to with Sango. And that you never went to with Rin. Her guardian might have turned a blind eye to a few things, but dragging his little ward to that club and that part of town certainly wouldn't have been one of them.

So you three girls went on your own, and whenever you did, you could see the uncertainty climb up Kagome's spine as you got closer to the doors. It was common for her to try and turn back at least twice before you and Sango hustled her into the doors and let the heavy beats and bright lights wash over you in pounding, neon waves.

Sango loved it here, so completely opposite from her work and the rest of her life, and you had to admit that you enjoyed the sensation of feeling so far away from the world nearly as much as she did. Kagome, of course, never left your side; and always looked about a minute from terror when someone came a little too close for comfort. A few drinks into the evening, though, and she was hitting the dance floor with Sango and laughing till her throat hurt.

You'd dance and laugh and have a good time, but you were usually the designated driver, never really having acquired a taste for alcohol, so you sat at the bar and watched them knock back shots, and would laugh at the way Kagome shivered all the way down to her toes when the burn started at the back of her throat.

You liked coming here for another reason entirely, not that you'd tell your girls that, and it could be found in the form of one particularly handsome brunette who always occupied the same booth in the back of the club, arms folded over his plain gray shirt, eyes keen and searching. So when you danced over on that side of the floor, you always made sure to give it your all, because something told you he was watching you in particular, and that made chills caper their way up your spine.

_Big black boots,  
>long brown hair,<br>she's so sweet  
>with her get back stare...<em>

He, of course, was the only one you really allowed to look at you for any length of time before you gave them a look that sent them packing. Sango teased you relentlessly about the fact, usually commenting that you'd never find a boy that way, and all you wanted to do was tell her you already had.

Well, in a manner.

It wasn't as though you could just walk up to him and say "hi, I noticed you watching me, wanna trade numbers?" Well, Sango might have been able to, but you weren't exactly that confident in your communication skills when they were being used to ask extremely handsome guys for their number.

But as luck would have it, you didn't have to ask him anything, because he came to talk to you before the night was out, and you thought you might never be able to leave again, with the way he grinned and said your name so nicely, like he'd been practicing since before you'd ever even been introduced.

And as though hearing him speak wasn't a nice enough treat, he could certainly move on the dance floor, and you realized you were actually getting lightheaded just being around him. Of course, lightheadedness in combination with cute boys and clubs usually meant something bad, but the minute he noticed you swaying on the spot, he hurried you to his table in the corner and fussed over you until he knew you were alright.

Which set of warning bells for your dear girlfriends when they noticed you were missing, but a few hurried text messages under the table while your brunette went to get you water put their minds at ease. Which was usually a task easier said than done.

_Well I could see,  
>you home with me,<br>but you were with another man, yea!  
>I know we,<br>ain't got much to say,  
>before I let you get away, yea!<br>I said, are you gonna be my girl?_

Koga, who offered to drive you home and call your friends a cab, was possibly the nicest guy you'd ever met in a club, and you'd met your fare share. Including the one who was currently coming through the door and giving you a look like he'd never seen you properly before. Miroku was Sango's boyfriend, of course, but that didn't stop him from pausing in the doorway and pressing a kiss to your cheek before he bid you goodnight. And since your new-found friend didn't know the other brunette on sight, it was safe to say he misunderstood the total exchange before you took the time to explain it to him delicately on the way back to your apartment.

He offered to walk you up to your apartment, and you accepted without having to think twice about it. Kagome might not have wanted to stretch the rules, but she wasn't here to comment, and you honestly couldn't care less.

What may have likely turned into something completely scandalous stopped the second you'd tripped and landed splayed on the couch. You both laughed before he gave you a feral grin and let slip a question you hadn't honestly been expecting.

"Are you gonna be my girl?"

Your reply wasn't verbal, but you had no doubt that he clearly understood the message.

_I say you look so fine  
>that I really wanna make you mine...<em>

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><p><em>No comments about the lack of verbal communication, okay? I just could not write any dialog that sounded right, so I decided to just get rid of all of it. XD<br>_

_And no. That ending is not cheesy, and it should not make you roll your eyes. At all.  
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><p><em>The song <em>"Are You Gonna Be My Girl" _belongs to: _Jet

Inuyasha and its related characters _belong to: _Rumiko Takahashi


	34. Wicked Way

**_Summary: _**You decided that it wasn't really your fault, since you were being held captive by a man with mesmerizing eyes and entirely too much charisma for his own good. It was probably the combination of sunglasses, skin-tight shirt, and fur-trimmed vest. And silken voice, strong presence, and wicked eyes.

_**Pairing**: _Greed/Reader

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><p><em>Girl, don't you fight it<br>Don't knock it till you tried it  
>Just show me some skin, I might bite it<br>I want to have my wicked way with you..._

When you'd joined the military, full of zeal for both king and country, you'd imagined yourself fighting on the front lines and helping to topple enemy governments and win wars. You hadn't seen yourself hidden behind a pile of paperwork as tall as you were, crowded onto your tiny desk by powers that defied all logic.

This was not your idea of the war effort.

When you'd first enlisted you'd been _sure_ that you'd get into a thrilling position in the ranks, but instead you'd been shunted off to a secretary position and told to report to possibly the laziest man alive when it came to paperwork. Colonel Mustang had his good points, and probably more of them than some people assumed, but his lack of dedication to documents that needed his signature was certainly one of his major faults.

And although you never really got to see any of the action because of your position, it didn't really matter. The Colonel trusted you, you knew that, and it meant more to you than any amount of military action. He would keep you close, saying it was so you could take notes, but you knew better. You liked knowing that someone saw you as more than just a paper-pusher, and any form of compliment coming from Mustang was certainly not something to be scoffed at.

So the day he actually sent you on a reconnaissance mission, complete with armed escort and confidentially labeled information, you nearly squealed with how pleased you were to finally be of use to someone outside of the office.

_I just want to take you out and get you drunk  
>So I can have my wicked way with you<br>I'm just being honest 'cause I know the other guys  
>Are thinking just the same way too<br>And I'm not gonna lie and say  
>That I will take you out to dance, there's just no chance<br>'Cause I don't even like the same music you do  
>I just want to have my wicked way with you...<em>

When you'd set out on this little expedition, it had sounded safe and simple enough. Go in, poke around a bit, come out and report to Ed and Al what you'd seen. It was so easy, and it should have been that simple. But no one really ever plans to have Homunculus drop in from seemingly nowhere and snatch you up before you have a chance to scream for help.

In your defense, you did give them a run for their money once they'd set you down in their hideout, but there was really only so much you could do against so many hostiles. So you kept your head on straight, put on your most defiant air, and asked to see their leader.

If you'd known at the time exactly who that was, you would most likely have thought better of that request, but you didn't know who the man in the dark shades was until he grinned and gave orders in quick succession, and by that time your mind hadn't the ability to process anything other than the words he was directing your way.

Greed, as he was quickly revealed to be, had something about him that made it very hard for you to concentrate on anything other than him. And that was an achievement in and of itself, given how you could normally focus on several things at the same time.

You decided that it wasn't really your fault, since you were being held captive by a man with mesmerizing eyes and entirely too much charisma for his own good. And somewhere in the back of your head you heard Mustang's voice telling you not to be fooled by outward appearances, and that this was a terribly dangerous position to be in, when infatuated with a captor. You told the mini-Mustang to shut up and enjoy the view, because you certainly were. It was probably the combination of sunglasses, skin-tight shirt, and fur-trimmed vest. And silken voice, strong presence, and wicked eyes.

You tried not to think too much, because it actually started to make your head hurt when you attempted to wrap your head around the conundrum that was Greed.

"So how about we make a deal," he said finally as he stooped down to your level, peering over the rims of his glasses, "I let you go, and you promise not to bring your buddies back to my hideout. How does that sound?"

You wanted to point out that you couldn't have led anyone back here even if you'd wanted to, because you hadn't a clue where you were, but that was a terrible bargaining chip. "That sounds like a plan." You managed at last.

You couldn't really help the tiny yelp that escaped your throat when his hand changed density and ripped through your bonds like so much tissue paper, but in your defense it had been a long time since you'd seen anyone do something like that.

He actually looked a little surprised as he pulled away, and his hand returned to its usual texture. "You didn't scream." It was almost a question.

"I have friends who are alchemists," you admitted as you stood tentatively, "I'm used to things changing their shape on a regular basis."

He gave you another of those grins, all sharp teeth and unspoken intentions. "So long as you don't change, I think it'll be alright."

Ed threw a tantrum when you got back to headquarters, and you tried to explain that you'd simply gotten lost on your patrol, but he was having none of that. Mustang seemed equally unconvinced until you finally asked him to politely drop the subject, and then he did. Ed, on the other hand, refused to let it go until you explained in full, but you didn't, so Al was forced to remove his big brother from the premises whether he wanted to go or not.

And you tried not to daydream about sunglasses catching the light, or a grin that made you shiver every time the memory of it resurfaced without warning.

_I'm not gonna come over and meet your mom and dad  
>They know that I was bad<br>I don't want to meet your friends  
>Oh, just pretend I like you<br>I don't want to talk about what happened  
>On your favorite TV show<br>I just want to get you close enough  
>So I can take off all your clothes<br>I don't want to make you cry or break your heart  
>Girl, we don't have the time<br>I'm just thinking of three hours or more  
>So I can have my wicked way with you...<em>

It took Greed a week to find out where you lived, but once he did he just kept coming back. You did the decent thing and refrained from telling any of your friends or superior officers about what was happening, and he never asked to go anywhere other than the route from your front room up to your bedroom and back.

In any other situation, you probably would have felt guilty about the whole thing, but Greed had a way of making you forget the rest of the world in favor of paying perfect attention to him and only him. It should have risen red flags when he came in the middle of the night and slipped away again before dawn, but the seemingly careless attitude with which he treated you was belied by the fact that he left his glasses resting on your bedside table and his vest draped over the back of a kitchen chair.

Whatever anyone else might have said about him, you actually cared for the Homunculus, and that grin that had scared everyone else had managed to capture your heart. And it would have been a lie to say that you didn't love the nights when he slipped into bed beside you and simply breathed deeply into your ear.

But the night he didn't come back made you worry, and for a month you felt your stomach churning for fear of something terrible having happened to him. You had no way of knowing if he was alright, because the hideout he'd been using was abandoned, and you couldn't exactly file a missing persons report either. So you waited, and wished for the butterflies in your stomach to stop fluttering every time your doorbell rang.

And one night after you'd nearly given up all hope, the man at the door was one you didn't recognize, but at the same time you had no doubts about who he was. The eyes were the same, still burning brightly, but without the convenient cover of sunglasses, and that grin was still just as feral as it had ever been.

"Miss me?" He'd asked, all innocent and incorrigible, and you'd decided two could play at that game, and showed him just how much you had missed him. He, of course, refused to let you forget why you'd fallen so hard the first time, and as your memory was refreshed, you felt yourself going through the same process again.

But you weren't about to complain.

"I thought you wouldn't recognize me, now that I look different." He admitted softly while you lay in the dark of your room, trying to catch your breath. "Guess I underestimated you."

You grinned, recognizing the compliment for what it was. "I could say the same."

His chuckle rumbled through your bones, and you felt yourself melt just a bit more. "Well, I won't be making that mistake again."

And as strong arms wrapped tighter around you and a hot kiss was placed against your temple, you couldn't suppress the grin that spread over your face as the thought of even more nights like this surfaced to the forefront of your mind. "I should certainly hope not."

_Now, don't you fight it  
>'Cause I know you're gonna like it<br>Show me some skin, I might bite it  
>I want to have my wicked way with you...<em>

* * *

><p><em>Because it would be oddly racist to make this for only one version of him. XD<br>_

_Seriously, though, I know some people are more partial to Original!Greed than to Ling!Greed, and I didn't want to burst anyone's bubble by forgetting one of them. So viola, they both get in on the action here. Problem solved!  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Wicked Way" _belongs to: _Benjamin Taylor

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters _belong to:_ Hiromu Arakawa


	35. My Boy Builds Coffins

_I officially love this song. XD  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary:<strong> _And just like that, oh so quickly and simply, you'd realized you were in love. And you hadn't a clue how you'd ended up there with no more encouragement than a wide smile and a set of long nails digging gently into your side as they kept you close.

_**Pairing:** _Undertaker/Reader

* * *

><p><em>My boy builds coffins with hammers and nails<br>He doesn't build ships, he has no use for sails  
>He doesn't make tables, dressers or chairs<br>He can't carve a whistle 'cause he just doesn't care..._

The first time you'd set foot in the shop, you'd fallen oddly in love with it. The whole place had its own air to it, a strange mix of the mystical and macabre. The air smelled of dust and dark shadows, and the chills that danced up your spine upon entering were as much from excitement as they were from fright. And then you'd met _him_, and that had been a whole different ballgame.

As if the smile wasn't haunting enough, his voice had been there to reinforce the feeling, and the way his hands whipped through the air as he spoke, adding action to his story, and the odd angles he'd tip his head off to would always make you want to giggle into your gloved hands.

You'd gone, the first time, for a completely legitimate reason. Your aunt needed to be buried, and as the only Undertaker in town that was recommended by Earl Phantomhive himself, you'd chosen his shop to enter. The Earl had gone with you, claiming he would need to make the necessary introductions, but that was just a cover. You knew he was actually more worried about the proprietor's behavior than anything else.

But he really shouldn't have been. The Undertaker, although eccentric and certainly one to march to his own drum, was the epitome of a perfect host, even going so far as to give you the delicate china cup instead of the glass beaker the Earl was forced to drink tea from. The bone biscuits, which you quickly grew fonder of over time, made their appearance for the first time that day, and you happily ate several.

It was odd to sit there and discuss funeral plans with a complete stranger, but there was also something cathartic about it as well. He knew what you wanted before you ever had to open your mouth, and to your slight shock and mild horror you realized you were sitting on the model he'd made up to show you when you'd arrived. It was exactly what you'd been wanting, and there was something truly surprising and completely pleasant about the way you felt towards the tall man in black after that.

_My boy builds coffins for the rich and the poor  
>Kings and queens have all knocked on his door<br>Beggars and liars, gypsies and thieves  
>They all come to him 'cause he's so eager to please...<em>

After the funeral, when everything was said and done and you really had no business going back to that dark little shop, you visited him again to say thank you. It had been such an innocent excuse when you'd left your house, mentally repeating that simple truth over and over again in your head. It was just to say thank you. Just to say thank you.

But when you'd slipped into the shop and found him not in evidence, curiosity had gotten the better of you, and you'd started to explore. You hadn't meant to pry, really you hadn't, but they were all just so fascinating. Every coffin had its own story, its own eerie tale to tell. And before long you'd found yourself wandering among the different ones laid out on his shop floor, fingers grazing over the glossy tops.

He'd come out of nowhere, lilting voice suddenly softly whispering into your ear. "Find one you fancy, Miss?" You'd nearly fallen; you'd spun around so quickly. And if it hadn't been for a conscientiously placed hand on your waist, you would have certainly toppled backwards into the waiting mouth of one particularly murky casket. "Do mind your step in here, Miss." His mouth had twisted up into that wide, knowing grin. "I'd hate to fit you for something you're still too young to wear."

And just like that, oh so quickly and simply, you'd realized you were in love. And you hadn't a clue how you'd ended up there with no more encouragement than a wide smile and a set of long nails digging gently into your side as they kept you close.

_My boy builds coffins for better or worse  
>Some say it's a blessing, some say it's a curse<br>He fits them together in sunshine or rain  
>Each one is unique, no two are the same...<em>

You hung around the shop on a regular basis after that. It was comforting, sitting there in the shadows, and Undertaker always welcomed you with a wide smile and widespread arms. Although admittedly a little morbid, you found yourself fascinated by the different types that he crafted and all the different designs that he carved into the covers.

All the coffins were different, of course, and you loved to sit and watch him work from behind his desk, or in the back of the shop in the spindly chair he had provided especially for you. He would even, when in a very good mood, ask for your opinion on certain designs and different wood stains.

Your favorite by far, however, was one he was doing in his free time. You weren't sure who'd commissioned it, but it was beautiful. All frosted and etched glass, a perfectly elegant last resting place for anyone. You hadn't asked him about it, feeling it was probably a little rude to pry into other people's business, but you desperately wanted to.

Others consisted of dark lacquer with inlays of brass or silver, and even one with mother of pearl swirling across its surface in intricate twists like some sparkling waltz.

They were all beautiful, in one way or another, and you loved watching him carefully fit them together and then line them with different fabrics. From richest velvet to softest silk, each lining was different as well, either ruffled with pleats or dotted here and there with pearls or tiny rosettes crafted from the same fabric of the lining.

You knew all too well that people gave you odd looks for spending so much time in what they believed to be strange company, but you didn't care about that. All you cared about was sipping tea from a fragile porcelain cup and perching carefully on your specially provided chair and watching your boy work.

You couldn't quite remember when you'd started thinking of him in such a possessive way, but you didn't think he would have minded if he knew, so you kept it to yourself and smiled every time he called you _Miss_, or tapped the end of your nose with a bone biscuit before popping it into his mouth with a giggle and a grin.

_My boy builds coffins and I think it's a shame  
>That when each ones been made, he can't see it again<br>He crafts every one with love and with care  
>Then it's thrown in the ground, it just isn't fair...<em>

"Do you ever miss them?" The question slipped past your lips unbidden, and you tried to drown yourself in your tea as soon as he turned to look at you from across the shop.

"I beg your pardon, Miss?" His hat was in dire peril of toppling right off his head, from the extreme angle he had tilted it to.

You gestured vaguely to the casket he was currently working on, the brush he was using to paint on the design slowly dripping white back onto his pallet, and turned an interesting shade of pink. "The coffins. I mean, you spend all this time on them, and then they just get chucked into the soil. I imagine it would be hard to see anything from six feet below ground."

He tapped a long black talon to his chin, drifting over to you and then giggling when he came to stand in front of you. "How curious of you to think like that… I must admit I do miss my handiwork once I have to let it go, but there's always a new project to take my mind off of such a terrible loss." He leaned in close, smiling sweetly. "I imagine, however, that I would miss yours once it was done."

For whatever reason, be it his expression or tone, you felt heat flood your face as you looked up under the brim of his hat and found a pair of lemongrass eyes staring back at you. "I imagine I'd miss you." You admitted with a faint smile.

He grinned brightly, leaning in until his lips brushed past your cheek and then came to rest on your ear. "I am certain I would miss you, Miss." And as he giggled at his own joke, he pressed a kiss to your cheek and then twirled back across the shop, pausing once he was back by his current project. "But! I have a feeling that will be a long time from now. Until then, why don't you come tell me which lining you like better? It's so nice to have a fresh pair of eyes to peruse a project." He grinned brightly and beckoned you over with a wave of his long fingers.

You tried to suppress the flutter in the pit of your stomach as you put your teacup down on a waiting coffin cover and hurried to his side, finding a pair of black lacquered nails trailing along the inside of your wrist as he explained what effect he was trying to achieve from the contrasting color inside the coffin. Long fingers twining gently with yours were quite the distraction, but you managed to pay enough attention to assist him with the task before he distracted you in another way entirely. Who would have been able to guess wood would be so forgiving to the weight of two people atop it?

_My boy builds coffins, he makes them all day  
>But it's not just for work and it isn't for play<br>He's made one for himself, one for me too  
>And one of these days he'll make one for you<br>For you, for you, for you..._

* * *

><p><em>No comments about that last line, okay. Just don't. XD<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"My Boy Builds Coffins" _belongs to: _Florence and the Machine

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	36. Lucky

_Took me long enough to get around to the others from this series, didn't it? XD  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: -slight<strong> **AU-** _You needed to know there were people who would remember you, no matter how far you went away, who would care about you no matter how long it had been since you saw each other.

_**Pairing:** _Ryou Bakura/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Do you hear me? I'm talking to you<br>Across the water across the deep blue ocean  
>Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying...<em>

Your parents had always wanted you to have the best of everything. The best education, the best toys and gadgets, the best friends, the best _everything_. But they never expected you to fit into a mold they made for you, instead realizing that you would grow up to be your own woman and there was nothing they could really do about that. So they showered you with gifts and vacations to distant, exotic places, and you loved every second of your childhood.

But one day, rather unexpectedly, you grew up, and you weren't sure what to do. But you had people to help with that, friends you'd made along the way, and it never mattered how far you'd go away from them, you always knew they were on the other end of the phone if you needed them.

And as time passes and you kept traveling with your family, you found you needed them more and more. You needed to know there were people who would remember you, no matter how far you went away, who would care about you no matter how long it had been since you saw each other.

And they gave you that. They gave you a place you felt you belonged no matter what, a place you could call home even when you knew it wasn't really. Domino City became the place you wanted to spend all your free time, and one year for your birthday you found yourself located in an apartment just up the street from Yugi's house, and you finally felt at home.

You could finally be with everyone you knew loved you, finally feel at home even without your parents there to back you up… But it wasn't always so perfect. Because not everyone suddenly found themselves with apartments and places to stay when high-school ended and things went back to being a hectic, school-centric mess. But that was sort of expected, in one way or another, and although it hurt to see some of your friends go, you knew they'd never truly be gone.

They were always on the other end of the line when you phoned, and for a few of the more old-fashioned ones, at the other end of the postal line when you sent them letters.

_Boy I hear you in my dreams  
>I feel your whisper across the sea<br>I keep you with me in my heart  
>You make it easier when life gets hard...<em>

"I'm going to murder my professor. I'm serious this time." You were up late, as usual, poking half-heartedly at the pile of homework occupying the end of your bed. You didn't want to go through all of it alone, but Yugi was busy, and there was no way you could ask Joey for help when he had just as much of it as you did.

"That might affect your grades," the smooth voice replied from the other end of the phone line, "I mean, who knows how they might dock you if they find out you killed a professor. Better not take the chance!"

You laughed, softly so as not to hurt the ear on the other end, and shook your head. "I'll transfer before they find out. I'll still be doing the world a favor."

Ryou sighed softly, and you tried to ignore the chills that sound sent along your spine. "I still think it's a bad idea." He chided gently. You both knew you weren't the homicidal type, but it made you feel better to threaten violence upon the people that really got under your skin at school.

"Oh alright, alright, I won't kill him." You conceded eventually, the way you always did. "I'll just chuck pencils at him during class until he resigns from mental fatigue." That earned you a genuine laugh from the albino boy on the other end, and you wondered exactly what time it was, over there in England.

"That sounds like a much better plan," he replied eventually, "just so long as he doesn't find out you're the one throwing the pencils."

You grinned. "I'll blame Tristan. He zones out in that class enough to not notice if I tell the teacher it was him and not me."

You could _hear_ the disapproval rolling off Ryou in waves. "That's not very nice."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven." He paused for the beat of half a minute before he spoke again, and you could hear the chuckle in his voice. "You haven't touched your homework, have you?"

"No." You couldn't lie to him like you could to all your other friends. If Yugi had asked the same question at the same time, you would have told him it was sorted and left it at that. But not Ryou. Not the cute Brit that had managed to steal your heart and fly off with it.

"Want me to get online so you can show me what's bothering you?"

The idea of seeing his face, slightly distorted or otherwise, but butterflies into your stomach and you had to try and catch them all before they got out of hand. "That… Would be awesome. It's not too much trouble, is it?" You opened your laptop and set up the chat channel, already excited.

"No trouble at all. See you in a second."

As the line clicked off into silence, you noticed the clock you'd set to London time and shook your head. It clearly read 2:10 am.

_I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend  
>Lucky to have been where I have been<br>Lucky to be coming home again..._

Serenity had guessed it first, when you'd been talking with her in the library between classes and trying to think of a topic that did not involve school or your new found over-seas tutor.

"You really love him, don't you?"

You stared at her, shocked out of what you'd been about to say, and finding it necessary to close your mouth before it became an airport for some air-born pest. "I beg your pardon?"

"Ryou," she replied like it was the most obvious thing on the planet, "you love him, don't you?" She gave you a blindingly bright smile and laughed as quietly as possible in the book-laden vicinity. "Don't tell me you hadn't noticed? Jeez, Joey said you had your moments, but I thought you were faster on the uptake than this…"

You nudged her hard and tried to ignore the sudden heat flooding your face. "Of course I knew; I just didn't realize anyone else did…"

She smiled sweetly, nudging you back gently. "Your secret's safe with me, don't worry. But one of these days you might want to let him in on how you feel… On the total off-chance that he doesn't already know, of course."

You stared, blinking and confused. "What?"

"He stayed up till four in the morning his time to help you with _homework_. _On a week day_!" She said with a roll of her eyes. "My own brother wouldn't do that unless it was the weekend and he'd already finished with all his own work." She sighed. "You should really just ask him, or something."

"I'm not going to do that!" You could feel your cheeks getting even warmer, and you weren't sure what to do about it. "I mean, what if you're wrong? What if he's just a really good friend?"

She gave you a blank look and shrugged, moving back down the aisle and towards the front desk. "Then I wish I had friends who were as good as that."

_And so I'm sailing through the sea  
>To an island where we'll meet<br>You'll hear the music fill the air  
>I'll put a flower in your hair...<em>

It was summer, school was out, people were running around like animals let loose from the zoo, and you were shut in your apartment trying to organize everything that had been thrown out of whack by your first semester in college. Serenity had offered to help, along with a very unwilling Joey who was roped into it by his sister, and they were currently organizing your scattered notebooks upon the criteria of '_reusable'_ and '_not'_.

Joey had just fished out one ancient book from back when you were in high school, and had promptly found Ryou's name inked into the back in a heart and burst into laughter, when your cellphone rang and you missed the chance to pelt him with a pillow. "Hello?"

"Hey, ah, are you busy?" The familiar, faint English accent sounded a little strained, like the boy who was using it had been running up and down stairs all day.

"Well I was about to murder Joey and get Serenity to help me hide the body, but that can wait. What's up?" You ignored the indignant shout from behind you in favor of the voice in your ear and what it was currently saying.

"Well, I'm about an hour away from the dock… Think you'll be ready by the time I get there? I'd love to have you show me around the city after all this time."

Your heart did several Olympic-level flips and then started to stutter out a marathon pace against your ribs. "I'll be there." You promised in a voice you hoped didn't sound as breathless as you felt.

"Good, because I brought you something and I think you'll like it. So, in an hour then…" You could hear his grin even through the distortion the boat was inevitably making. "See you soon."

You mumbled out some similar reply before you rounded on Joey and threw a pillow right at his head. "Okay you two, I have some cleaning up to do, and only an hour in which to do it. Stay and help or get out and leave me to it."

Joey was ready to bolt, but Serenity caught his arm and held him right where he was. "What do you need us to do?"

You could practically hear angel song somewhere in the back of your mind, barely able to pay attention to the girl in front of you. "Get this place tidy and fast."

_Though the breezes through trees  
>Move so pretty you're all I see<br>As the world keeps spinning 'round  
>You hold me right here, right now...<em>

It took you forty-five minutes to finish picking up the apartment, change clothes, and drive down to the docks in time to see the boat pulling in and anchoring there. You managed to keep yourself in the car until you saw a familiar mop of white hair emerging from the crowd and making for the sidewalk, and then you were dashing across the road with no concern for traffic and wrapping him up in the tightest hug you could muster on such short notice.

He laughed, soft and sinuous and right against your ear. "I missed you too." His arms wrapped lightly around your waist and held you close, like there was no one else in the world but the two of you, no one else to think about.

Eventually you let go, though not entirely, and smiled up at him. "You said you brought me something?" You prompted, in order to avoid going pink from just seeing him smile so brightly at you.

"Oh, right, I did…" He tilted his head off to one side, looking you over for a moment before he leant in and pressed his lips shyly to yours.

You didn't let it stay shy for long, your heart going back to its original break-neck speed in order to hammer helplessly against your ribs, as though it was trying to press the two of you together more firmly. "Love you." You mumbled softly against his lips, feeling like you might melt any second and not be able to get the words out properly afterwards.

He gave you another of those breathtaking smiles and pressed a quick kiss to your forehead, gently leading you across the street and back towards your car. "I know."

_I'm lucky we're in love in every way  
>Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed<br>Lucky to be coming home someday..._

* * *

><p><em>Yes, I used the American dub names. Merely because it's way to bloody confusing otherwise. XD<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Lucky" _belongs to: _Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

Yu-Gi-Oh! and its related characters _belong to: _Kazuki Takahashi


	37. You Give Me That Feeling

_I regret nothing!  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary<em>: **But they day he had landed, bleeding from a gash to his side and looking half-drowned in the rain that pelted the mountainside, you had taken pity on the crimson-eyed creature, and welcomed him into your home without reservations or doubts. He was in trouble, and you had always looked to your own kind when they required it._  
><em>

_**Pairing:** _Hiten/Reader

* * *

><p><em>How many words are there to say?<br>But I still can't find a way  
>To tell you how you've captured me<br>And turned it all around  
>I want to write it down<br>I need to say it out loud  
>This force inside is driving me<br>And I can't hold it in  
>I know you're the only one<br>Who could help me finally open up  
>You created something new in me...<em>

Living up in the mountains, away from humans and demons alike, you never really had the chance to find out more about life than what was around you. It didn't bother you, this voluntary solitude, and as you sat in the temple at the top of the mountain and listened to the wind, you knew there was nothing you needed outside of your home.

You were content, if not completely happy, but it was enough for you. It was a nice, steady existence, and without influence from outside forces, you were free to live as you saw fit, guided by the wind and directed by the voices that were carried upon it. The world had left you to your own business long ago, and even the villagers down at the base of the mountain had ceased to believe in your existence. You were a myth, a story on the wind that you so perfectly controlled. Nothing more.

But the self-sustenance and solitude suited a wind demon such as you, and as long as you could hear the wind and feel the rain you were free to do as you pleased. Free to ride the currents and watch the world from your perch. Free to keep the villagers who had abandoned you safe, despite their lack of faith. And when you were visited by others, however infrequently, it gave you the opportunity to carry on.

But it was not always just you up there among the clouds, because there were other demons in the sky besides just yourself, and when they came to stay it was usually without warning or invitation, and you often had to fight to keep your home safe.

But they day he had landed, bleeding from a gash to his side and looking half-drowned in the rain that pelted the mountainside, you had taken pity on the crimson-eyed creature, and welcomed him into your home without reservations or doubts. He was in trouble, and you had always looked to your own kind when they required it.

He had not been ungracious, despite his not knowing you before that day, but he allowed you to treat his wound and whisper that he needed rest and you would keep him safe until the storm passed. He had scoffed at that, telling you that he was more than capable of handling a little ill weather, but you didn't care.

There was something about him, something you weren't about to let slip from your grasp before you got to know it better, and you refused to let him leave until you were sure he was healed properly. He didn't argue with your continued insistence that he should stay, and instead almost seemed to encourage it, in a silent way. He was charming and attractive, and for someone who hadn't had contact with the rest of the world for as long as you had, he was exactly what you needed…

Exactly what you wanted.

_Your light, it shines so bright  
>It makes the day seem like the night<br>You chase away the shadows  
>And illuminate my path<br>I know you're the only one  
>Who could help me finally open up<br>You created something new in me..._

You knew he would eventually leave, it was inevitable, there was nothing you could have done, save injure him further, to keep him by your side. But you hadn't imagined he would whisper a promise to return into your ear before a pair of warm lips descended against your cheek, and he disappeared back into the night. You had been expecting the customary formal farewell, the one that always preceded those that never thought of you again, save in dreams and half-forgotten memories.

But he had promised, had that thunder demon, promised he'd come back again when he told his brother what had happened and set his mind at ease. Promised to come see you again and perhaps stay longer this time around. That grin he had given you had haunted your dreams for days afterward, always followed by the recollection of his warm lips against your skin, and the tang of his scent in your mind. He crackled through the air around him, giving off energy like the lightning he controlled, and it was intoxicating to be near him.

When he did return, heralded by a roll of thunder and a blaze of lightning, you had to catch your breath, because nothing was quite as brilliant as him. Nothing could light up your world the way he could, tearing away your defenses until he could learn more about you, learn why you lived up among the clouds alone, and never let others in past the first door to your home. Nothing could cure your eyes of darkness the way he did.

As time passed and he came and went on a regular basis, you realized he stayed longer every time he slipped into your life. And whenever he had to leave again, usually against his will, it was with another grin and a promise to come back and visit. And you'd sit and sigh the time away until you heard a storm start to roll in towards your home, and then you'd be back up on your feet and pacing by the door until he came in and caught you around the waist and whispered of how much he had missed you.

_You give me that feeling  
>A power I can believe in<br>The world around me disappears  
>You give me that feeling<br>I could smash straight through the ceiling  
>Fly until I reach the sun<br>You give me that feeling..._

When you were together, the world seemed to melt away into long talks by candlelight and flights through frigid air in order to take a peek at some new wonder he wanted to share with you. And when you returned, often soaking wet from the clouds you dove through, you would laugh until you cried, and then collapse into a shivering, dripping heap until he came along to warm you up.

He was electric, literally, and whenever you two touched you could feel the charge running along just under his skin, ready to rush out in an instant if he thought it necessary. He kisses sent shocks up your spine for more reason than one, and he seemed to know what it did to you, because he was careful without keeping anything back.

When you were with him, you felt as though you were soaking up some of his power as well, taking in a little of it for yourself. It was a hum under your skin, a charge in your mind that hadn't been there before. It was completely new and not entirely unappreciated. You felt more than a little guilty, for taking it in without having anything to give back, but whenever you asked what you could do in return, he would laugh and press a kiss to your shoulder and tell you that you were already doing it for him.

He got under your skin in the best possible way, and picked away at the armor you had so carefully forged until it chipped away entirely and shattered under his careful persistence. He wanted to know about you, every secret you'd stashed away from the rest of the world, and he wasn't ever going to let you close back up while he was there. He pried you apart as gently as possible, and refused to be closed back out once he had gotten inside.

He wanted to be a part of your life, a part of your sequestered world away from everyone else, and he wasn't ever going to take no for an answer. You had learned early on that if Hiten wanted something, he got it, and it was very clear that he wanted you. Every last inch of you, if he was to be believed; and he intended to get it.

And you, after all this time, intended to give it.

_I always thought if someone knew the real me  
>They would turn away<br>But now I've found your love completes me  
>And I'll never be the same...<em>

* * *

><p><em>Guys, I did Bankotsu on a <em>dare_. Of course I was going to eventually get to another of my favorite villains. XD  
><em>

_Seriously, I love Hiten (may he rest in peace), and I was actually kinda sad when he snuffed it.  
>So think of this as a weird sort of montage to his memory. XD<br>_

_Also, the whole no-dialog approach to this one was not intentional, but like a few times before, I just couldn't get it to flow right, so I took it out. I really like it the way it is, though, so I hope you do too. _^_^

_This one is a bit shorter than the others, but pay no mind to that. Enjoy it as it is._

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"You Give Me That Feeling" _belongs to: _Fireflight

Inuyasha and its related characters _belong to: _Rumiko Takahashi


	38. Angel By Your Side

_Took me long enough to find a song for him...  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**You fell quickly into step alongside them, finding it easy to take on the Niwa name and become a part of their family and their life. You could keep their secrets, and the night a certain redhead came home dripping wet and dressed in full black-out gear you found you _had_ to keep a few secrets for them.

_**Pairing:** _Daisuke Niwa/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I can't say that everything's okay<br>'Cause I can see the tears you're crying  
>And I can't promise to take the pain away<br>But you can know I won't stop trying..._

For a long time, long before you finally found someone that loved you and wanted to look after you, you had thought that it couldn't get much worse than being a foster child. Going from home to home, and having all of them find _something_ about you that they didn't like so they could send you back without feeling guilty, was the worst feeling in the world. You were a ghost in the lives of the people who took you in for only a little while before pushing you back out into the cold again, and you couldn't stand it.

But then there had been the sweet woman with kind eyes and the house that was warm for more reasons than one, and you decided you could live like this. Somewhere you were welcomed and loved, and where no one judged you by the way you spoke or dressed or carried yourself. They were your family, now, and you were theirs as well.

You fell quickly into step alongside them, finding it easy to take on the Niwa name and become a part of their family and their life. You could keep their secrets, and the night a certain redhead came home dripping wet and dressed in full black-out gear you found you _had_ to keep a few secrets for them.

But they were worth it. They were worth every second of dodging questions and trying to keep your mouth shut, worth all the trouble you had to keep Daisuke out of and all the situations you had to tug him gently out of in order to keep his secret safe. They were worth whatever the universe decided to throw your way because you finally felt at home, and there was nothing that was going to change that, if you could help it.

And they could keep your secrets too. All the pain you'd felt over the years, all the rejection and despair, all the emotions you'd held in in order to keep up a brave face and pretend everything was alright. They could listen and not judge, hold you tight and tell you it would be alright, because everything works out eventually, and this would to.

This was your home now, and no one was going to take that from you.

_I'll be the angel by your side  
>I will get you through the night<br>I'll be the strength you can't provide on your own  
>'Cause when you're down and out of time<br>And you think you've lost the fight  
>Let me be the angel<br>The angel by your side..._

It had started out slowly at first, just little things that you barely even noticed, but still there if you looked closely enough. You would have thought them silly, if they'd been coming from anyone other than him.

Daisuke was a klutz by nature, you knew all too well, and you'd always stepped in to help him with chores around the house and with clean up at school. You tried not to leave him alone, in case something went wrong and he needed to make a quick get away, but you noticed that he also tended to hang around you as well. It wouldn't have ever registered, either, if he hadn't pulled your chair out for you, held doors open, or helped you with your books. You would have dismissed his presences entirely if it hadn't been for what he did when he was around you.

And when you said thanks for the first time he'd gone the most adorable shade of pink, dipped his head and mumbled something about it not being a big deal. But it was. And you both knew that.

You'd gone so long not having anyone care about you that this sudden turnaround from a boy your age came as a pleasant surprise. Daisuke was caring by nature; always trying to help out even when he didn't need to, and it sort of made sense in your mind that he'd try to help you as well.

So you thought nothing of it, pushing his kindness to the back of your mind to be puzzled over later when he was out on a job with Dark, or studying late in his room right down the hall from you.

It was just Daisuke being Daisuke, after all, and there was nothing to be thought of it other than how nice it was to have someone care about you like that. And whenever the topic arose, either with your new family or friends, you shrugged it off and changed topics, because some small part of you wanted to keep his kind acts a secret from the rest of the world.

It was childish and foolish, and you knew it, but you couldn't help feeling a little special for how he treated you, and you wanted to keep that feeling to yourself.

_I know it feels like you're running out of faith  
>'Cause it's so hard to keep believing<br>But if I can bring a smile back to your face  
>If for a moment, you'll forget all about it...<em>

It had taken you less than a year to fully integrate into the Niwa family, and by the time your anniversary of arrival had rolled back around, you'd found yourself falling asleep to thoughts of the redhead down the hall from you, and you felt guilty for it.

No one else had ever affected you the way he did, and something in the pit of your stomach churned at the thought that maybe he wouldn't feel the same way, or worse, that he'd be angry over it. As rare and foreign of an emotion as anger was the to the teen, you knew it wasn't unheard of, and the thought that you might be the one to evoke it sent fear skittering down your spine. The last thing you wanted to do was make him angry, and so you kept your feelings to yourself.

At least, you did until one night you woke up to a hand on your shoulder and a cloud of purple hair filling your vision.

"Easy, easy, I just wanna talk," Dark had laughed when you tried to push him away, easily over-powering you, "I want to do this now, while he's sleeping in here." He lightly pressed your hand to his chest and you felt a steady heartbeat under your fingers. "You know how this works, right? The two of us?"

You'd nodded absently, aware of the basics from talks with Daisuke when you'd meant to be studying but had gotten sidetracked.

"Well I think it's about time someone tells you that his trigger has changed," he grinned, "and since he's way too shy to say it himself, I figured I should let you know." His smirk faded and he frowned slightly. "And I know you like him back, so just tell him already. I can deal with sleeping for a few years before you have a son."

You'd felt the heat flood your face as that smirk reappeared before the purple hair faded back into red, and his whole frame shrank down into the proper size. The heartbeat beneath your fingertips started to pound as Daisuke opened his eyes and saw you, a blush of his own spreading across his face.

He opened his mouth to say something, probably an explanation and apology all wrapped up in one, but you tugged him down into a hug before a single syllable could slip past his lips.

"I know." You whispered into his ear. "And I love you too."

He shifted enough to press a gentle kiss to your cheek before he let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. "One of these days, I'm going to murder that big-mouthed angel."

You grinned.

'_Cause this won't be the last time  
>You'll need a little hope<br>But I want to be the first to let you know..._

* * *

><p><em>I love the idea of Dark deciding to take matters into his own hands and spilling the proverbial beans. XD<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song<em> "Angel By Your Side" _belongs to: _Francesca Battistelli

DNAngel and its related characters _belong to:_ Yukiru Sugisaki


	39. Come On Closer

_Bit of a different approach to this one, but I like the way it turned out.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary:<strong>_Edward, and basically everyone else you worked with, was blissfully unaware of your liaison with a certain homunculus, and you had every intention of keeping it that way. It would have felt like fraternizing with the enemy, except that wasn't why he'd dragged you into the warehouse earlier in the week._**  
><strong>_

_**Pairing:** _Envy/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Hot temptations<br>Sweet sensations  
>Infiltrating through<br>Sweet sensations  
>Hot temptations<br>Coming over you..._

It was a slow, dull throb in the back of your head to begin with, and then it turned into something a bit worse. An ache that reached down your spine and into your shoulders, as though you were trying to lift something that was much too heavy. Soon it was reaching every inch of your body in waves, each rolling over in you agonizingly slowly and with no intention of letting up anytime soon. Every inch of you ached, and you wanted nothing more than to roll over and die, but defeat was not an option. You knew that, and yet…

"Oh come on, you're not giving up already, are you?" The voice ripped into your thudding skull and merely made the pain worse. "We've only just started!"

You closed your eyes, regulated your breathing, tried to feign unconsciousness.

"You can't fool me, you know," the voice was softer now, much more gentle, "I can spot a faker a mile off."

"If only you _were_ a mile off." You muttered under your breath to your sparring partner, feeling the mat you were currently sprawled across sink as he knelt next to you. "I think you actually broke something that time."

"Hardly." A hand landed on your sore middle, fingers flexing gently until they found the bruise on your right hip, making you flinch. "Just roughed you up a little…"

"A little?" You cracked an eye open to glare into guilty golden orbs. "Edward, if this is your idea of _a little_, I'd hate to see how your enemies turn out when you go hard on them."

He grimaced, pulling an apologetic face and shrugging half-heartedly. He was sorry, you could tell, but you wanted him to say it. He'd known you weren't up to a real fight, but he'd done his best to give you one anyway. "Look, I didn't know…"

He trailed off as the doors to the gym flew open, and Roy entered with his usual one-woman entourage. "Fullmetal! I need…" He trailed off when he saw you hadn't gotten up to salute him.

"Sorry, sir, I can't move." You admitted with a tiny wave of your hand, hoping he noticed the newly acquired purple bloom on your forearm.

You heard more than saw the exchanging of looks between Edward and Roy, and then Mustang huffed in a thoroughly annoyed tone. "Well get yourself cleaned up, would you, I need you to go on a stakeout later tonight, if you're feeling up to it."

You gave him an odd salute and waited till the doors closed before you looked up at Edward and grinned. "You're so going on that stakeout with me."

"I shudder in my automail." He replied with a grin.

_Come on closer  
>I want to show you<br>What I'd like to do  
>You sit back now<br>Just relax now  
>I'll take care of you...<em>

As you limped slightly across the courtyard towards the car that was waiting to take you and Edward on your stakeout, you had to wonder how you'd even gotten yourself into this situation. As one of the few females in the force, it was bad enough for you, but then you'd been assigned as the Elrics' handler, and things had gotten much more complicated.

Edward wasn't mean, far from it where you were concerned, but there were certainly things that you would have liked to change if you could have. One of which was his using his automail in sparring matches when he knew you weren't wearing any padding.

Your hip still stung from the kick he'd landed on it earlier that day.

But minor injuries aside, the two of you got on swimmingly, and you always enjoyed spending time with the brothers, even if it meant putting yourself in harm's way to keep them safe.

One girl could only take so much in her lifetime before snapping completely, but you had somehow managed to maintain your sanity and still work with the Elrics whenever necessary. Like tonight, apparently.

You tried not to recognize the side of town you were headed to, but there was only so much lying you could do to yourself before you eventually gave up and recognized where you were. You'd been here only a few nights earlier, dragged into the dark warehouse by a certain dark-haired someone when you hadn't been expecting it.

Edward, and basically everyone else you worked with, was blissfully unaware of your liaison with a certain homunculus, and you had every intention of keeping it that way. It would have felt like fraternizing with the enemy, except that wasn't why he'd dragged you into the warehouse earlier in the week. He hadn't wanted information, at least not of that variety, and you hadn't wanted to know where his Father's super-secret base was.

"I'll go take a look." You muttered to Edward before you slipped from the cab of the car and moved towards the warehouse's large double doors.

"Are you crazy?" Ed hissed after you, frantically trying to free himself from Alphonse's grip. "You can even run, you lunatic!"

He was half-way through the dictionary definition of _stakeout_, which did not include going towards the target, when you heard shifting from the shadows just inside the door and felt your heart pound.

"The pipsqueak is right, you know," _that_ voice hissed into your ear from seemingly nowhere, "you really should have stayed in the car."

A shiver ran along your spine and you tried to suppress it in favor of looking like nothing was wrong, turning your head in such a way that made it impossible for Edward to see your lips move. "I plan to go back to it in a second or two. But I thought you might want a heads-up to where we were so you don't end up getting into a pointless fight."

He hummed low in the back of his throat, and you wondered why it sounded so much better when you could practically feel it in your bones. "Protecting the enemy now, are you?" He asked softly, tone teasing as it always was.

"Protecting a particular asset I don't intend to lose." You replied with a wicked grin. "So just be a good boy and stay in the shadows, and everything will be alright."

"Your leg isn't." The growl in his voice made your grin even wider. "Who hit you hard enough to make you limp, anyway?"

"Caring for the enemy now, are you?" You asked in the same tone he'd used earlier. "My, my, Envy, how charitable of you." And as quick as you could, limp included, you headed for the high hills before he decided to blow his cover and drag you into the shadows with him.

_Gonna take it slow babe  
>Do it my way<br>Keep your eyes on me  
>Your reaction<br>To my action  
>Is what I want to see...<em>

Your work schedule being what it was, you didn't find yourself home again for another day and a half, and by that time all you wanted to do was crawl under your covers and never come out again.

But when you smelled lavender on the air and followed your nose to a bath full of steaming water and surrounded by candles, you decided covers could wait, and instead slipped past the bubbles and into the warm water. You winced as it washed over the bruises that still littered your skin, but it was worth the initial discomfort for how nice it felt afterwards.

"Feeling better?" Fingers drove insistently at the back of your head, making you melt further into the hot water. "Or is that leg of yours still playing up?" His tone was light, but there were hidden intentions in his question, and you really wished he wouldn't hedge around the subject so innocently.

"Edward sparred with me," you replied softly, "to answer your earlier question as to who hit me that hard. And yes, I am feeling better, and no, it isn't playing up nearly so much as it was the last time we talked."

The fingers had stopped their merry dance across your scalp, and you felt his fingernails dig in just a little as he battled whatever annoyance or anger had flared up in his chest. If there was one thing Envy wasn't good at, it was keeping his emotions in check. "You let him?"

"Didn't have much of a choice. Kid might be short for his age, but he's fast." You tilted your head back far enough to look up at him, noticing with some evident pleasure the way his headband was missing, and the lack of skin-tight black across his chest. "Stop looking so annoyed. You aren't Wrath."

He frowned at that, but continued the massage to your scalp, making your eyes flutter closed again. "Still."

"Still." You agreed with a faint smirk, loving how much he said with so simple of a word. _Still, you shouldn't let him bully you_, or _Still, I don't like the idea of him roughing you up_, or possibly even _Still, you're my girl not his and he should know better than to make you hurt. _"Still." You repeated again as his fingers slipped lower across your neck and started to work against the muscles of your shoulders, sliding through the water silently.

_And now you're satisfied  
>The twinkle in your eye<br>Go to sleep for ten  
>Anticipating<br>I will be waiting  
>For you to wake again...<em>

Fur rubbed gently against your bare skin, and you had to focus to remember where you'd fallen asleep the night before. Smooth cotton contrasted to the silk against your cheek and the warm fur against your shoulders, and you distinctly remembered Envy complaining about your sheets before… Your eyes fluttered open and you turned your head enough to spot the large black cat sitting on your bed, staring at you with luminous eyes of green.

Well that explained the fur, but why was he waking you up?

A series of four loud knocks sounded against your door and you groaned softly, the cat beside you letting out a soft hiss of established disapproval. He'd changed because he wasn't sure who it was and when they might decide to skip the knocking and go straight to coming in without your express permission.

He leapt nimbly out of the way when you rolled over and pulled on your robe, hurrying to get down stairs before whoever was at the door decided to knock it down and find you.

"Big brother, I don't think it's a good idea to transmute her lock," you heard a familiar voice saying on the other side of the door, "she's probably just still sleeping."

"Forget good ideas, Mustang said it was urgent." You heard Edward muttering as he presumably inspected the lock in question.

You opened the door and gave him a flat look, startling him as he hastened to straighten up and attempt to not look guilty. "What do you want, Ed?"

He floundered, clearly still feeling guilty about his almost-break-in, and Alphonse came to his dear brother's rescue. "Colonel Mustang wanted you to come to the office for a conference, and he's sorry for the inconvenience, since this is your day off, but it's quite important."

You sighed, nodding. "I'll be right down."

Envy was waiting for you on your bed, back in his human shape and stretched out under your sheets, all dark hair and pale skin uninterrupted by his usual garments. "I heard." He said before you even opened your mouth to explain. "Go ahead; I'll still be here when you get back."

You were, admittedly, a little surprised by his willingness to share, but decided it would be best not to question it. "You promise?" You teased instead, getting your uniform together before you headed into the bathroom.

He didn't verbally reply, but he gave you the next best thing. It was a slow, curling smile, nothing so sharp as his grin or as mocking as his smirk, but perfectly gentle and warm. It was an expression reserved expressly for you and you alone, something you got to keep all to yourself and knew he didn't share with the rest of the world.

You closed the gap between you in three short strides, and surprised him with a forceful kiss. "You know that goes double for me, right?" You asked, knowing he'd get the message you were implying.

He grinned then, all sharp teeth and temptations. "Oh believe me, I know."

You smirked, pressed another quick kiss over his smirk, and spun around to head off to get ready for work. He was worth all the secrets you ever had to keep, and you knew he felt exactly the same way about you.

_Hour after hour  
>Of sweet pleasure<br>After this I guarantee  
>You'll never want to leave<br>Shut your eyes and think about  
>What I'm about to do<br>Sit back relax I'll take my time  
>This lovin's all for you...<em>

* * *

><p><em>I don't care if some of you don't like Envy, I always did. And I know there are other people out there who did too, so please keep your derogatory comments to yourself. Thanks much.<br>_

_Also, I love this song, and if you don't know it I highly recommend you look it up.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Come On Closer" _belongs to: _Jem

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters _belong to:_ Hiromu Arakawa


	40. Ease My Pain

_I did promise that I'd get around to the rest of them, didn't I?  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_Because they were the ones who got everything down just so, he and L, and whenever they were the ones who called in favors, you didn't have to think twice about accepting, because it would have been foolish to think that they would ever put you in harm's way. You weren't a pawn to them, like so many of your other employers, and you knew they would look after you._**  
><strong>_

_**Pairing:** _Near/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Will you please ease my pain...?<em>

When your phone danced its way across the top of your dresser, odd little noises being caused by the vibrations against wood, you didn't even have to look at the caller ID to know who it was. When your phone rang silently, there was only one person it could be, and you flipped it open without hesitation, the tiniest ghost of a smile on your lips.

"How can I help?"

If it had been Mello, the double-bass beats of his favorite song would have filled your small bedroom, and if Matt had been the one on the other end of the line, then it would have been the ever entertaining "_Finish Him!" _command from Mortal Combat that directed your attention towards the phone. Even L, who you had decided deserved the refined tones of Moonlight Sonata, was aware that he had his own theme song on your phone, and approved of the ringtone in question.

But Near, who was the one who had called you this time around, continued to be put on vibrate until you could find a song that fit him well enough to be used as a theme song. Thus far, you had been unsuccessful, and even though Mello continued to voice ideas every time you saw him, and even occasionally via text when he thought there was one he couldn't wait to share, you had told him that the day you found the right song was the day you'd give Near one.

"I require a few of your expert skills." The even voice on the other end of the line redirected your attention back to the present. "I believe you still remember where I am located?"

"I'll be there in ten minutes," you were already headed towards the door, jacket in one hand and car keys in the other, "is there anything in particular you need me to bring?"

There was a pause, and you could practically hear his forefinger twisting away at a snowy forelock of hair. "I believe you are the only thing you need to bring."

You grinned as you locked your door behind you and took the stairs down two at a time. "Well I wouldn't dream of coming without me." You responded the way you always did when that was the answer he gave you.

"What a comforting thought," he replied, "I can't imagine what it would be like for you to come by without yourself along for the ride."

_Out of time, I hear your voice  
>Break through the noise<br>And pain, my heart's refrain..._

You had, of course, grown up alongside the genius that now sat across from you, putting puzzle pieces into place while he waited for his program to do its thing and pinpoint whatever object he was trying to find.

You had not, however, followed in his exceptional-I.Q. footsteps, and instead had taken what you had labeled as "the Mello route". Which was not to say that Mello or yourself was unintelligent, but you preferred guns and getting your way through force than sitting about strategizing how best to play with your prey. You weren't as… Outspoken as Mello was in his negotiations, and you usually offered your gun-toting services to any one of your childhood friends instead of freelancing for yourself.

You liked it better this way, letting someone else call the shots and tell you what to do. It made you feel more secure, and when it was Near orchestrating whatever great scheme you'd been called in on, you knew it would all turn out perfectly.

Because they were the ones who got everything down just so, he and L, and whenever they were the ones who called in favors, you didn't have to think twice about accepting, because it would have been foolish to think that they would ever put you in harm's way. You weren't a pawn to them, like so many of your other employers, and you knew they would look after you.

They would make sure you got out of whatever mess they'd sent you into alive and as close to undamaged as they could manage.

Near stopped what he was doing and turned to look at the screen beside him, frowning slightly as whatever was there disappointed him. "I need you to deliver something for me, if you would." He turned the screen until you could clearly see the vibrant blue dot in the middle of a 3D structure. It was blinking cheerily from the fourth floor, back in the far west corner room.

"Of course. What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to white-wash that room." His tone was perfectly calm as he told you, in essence, that you had to kill everyone inside. "I already have the case that will do it for you; I simply need you to take it there."

"Give me directions and I'm on my way."

_Why can't I convince myself  
>That this is the right time<br>To contend...?_

You'd been young when you'd first started all of this. Dashing about doing the dirty work of those higher up the metaphorical totem pole until you could climb the ranks yourself and find your own lackeys. But you hadn't gotten very high before you realized that you liked it down here. People here, who had others over them, tended to survive longer.

And when Near had unofficially made you his personal conveyance system, taking anything from bombs to birth records to designated points of interest, you had felt relieved. Here was someone you knew not only would look after you, but who actually cared in an odd no-emotions-visible sort of way.

But there were still times, despite how much you cared for the albino boy, that you wanted to tell him enough was enough and simply walk away. But every time you got close to saying those words, as simple and short as they were, he would give you a look that shot straight through you, and you knew you'd never actually be able to leave. You'd become part of his world, part of his tiny monochromatic universe that was filled with wiring and puzzles and only a handful of people, and you couldn't walk away from that.

You couldn't walk away from _him_.

So you kept his ringtone on vibrate even long after you'd found the perfect song for him, and pretended to consider every suggestion that Mello made just so he'd never ask why you'd picked a certain song for the boy in white who'd managed to slip so easily into your heart without so much as a struggle on either of your parts.

And Near, for all his intellect and insight, never made a sound on the subject and for the longest time you convinced yourself that he didn't know. That all of this was your little secret, and he hadn't a clue the sort of control he had over you. But deep down you knew he'd figured it out long before you had yourself, and he was just biding his time until you caught up to him, and then he'd turn around and ask you what you wanted to do about it.

And that thought scared you more than any other.

_Break the tide that's pushing you  
>Outside the place you're safe<br>Don't pretend..._

It was tiny, microscopic things at first. Things you would never have noticed if you hadn't been on high alert for anything irregular in his behavior. Things you knew no one else saw, because this was _Near_ you were talking about and of course no one else would notice because he was far too subtle to set off anyone else's radar.

But you noticed.

You noticed how he sat a half inch closer to you whenever you came by, how he looked you in the eye instead of a calculated quarter of an inch to one side of your head, how he'd dropped your alias when the two of you were alone and had started calling you by your real name again, how every so often his hand would brush against yours seemingly on accident. Except that Near didn't have accidents, and everything was always perfectly calculated by his entirely too-capable mind, and you knew he was doing all of this on purpose simply for your benefit, and it made your stomach churn.

You'd never really been afraid of Near, he wasn't the sort of person who instantly struck fear into the hearts of others, but you had always been wary of him. He knew things about you that others didn't and you knew he had a vindictive streak like no other when he felt the urge to do something about someone he didn't like. So no, you weren't afraid of him, exactly, but you weren't _not_ afraid of him either.

But this, this sudden sitting closer and calling you by your name, set you on edge. It made your heart beat a bit faster, made you want to run away every time his skin brushed lightly against yours, made you want to scream because up until now you'd thought you had him figured out. But not anymore.

Now it was a whole new game and you didn't know the rules because Near never really was one to share, and you had no idea how to fight back against the sudden tide that was pushing you out of your comfort zone. You were adrift at sea and you knew you'd drown unless you found a raft to cling to, so you did the only thing you could.

You made up rules of your own.

You shoved out all the little voices that had once told you not to stare at his slate eyes, or to keep your hands off his creamy skin. All the little warning bells that tolled when he gave you that tiny, crooked grin were silenced, and you grinned right back. What had once been a sense of propriety when you visited and sat exactly where the chair had been placed was traded in for a sense of rebellion that dictated you could move the chair wherever you pleased as long as you kept it on your side of the table.

And all of a sudden, like a light bulb blinking on in a dark room or an elevator finally arriving at the right floor, you realized what he'd been doing, and the thought that you'd been doing the same to him made pink blossom in your cheeks because you hadn't realized it until now.

He'd been trying to tell you he cared. In an all-encompassing, fonder than most, sort of way. And if you were right in your assumptions, you'd been saying the same thing back, and you hadn't meant to, not so soon.

But now that he'd heard you, you could stop pretending.

_Ask my eyes protect my gaze  
>As the light makes the day<br>I pray..._

The morning you awoke to warmth pressed tight against your back and fingers digging gently into your stomach you weren't entirely sure what to do. Soft, warm breaths were being sighed against your skin and you pulled all of your thoughts together long enough to open your eyes to morning light streaming in through your bedroom window and realize that there was a genius curled up in bed next to you.

And that he'd been there all night.

The guilt had been the first thing to wash over you then, the gnawing, sickening feeling that maybe you'd done something you shouldn't have, and he'd blame you for it and everything would inevitably go straight to hell, and you'd lose one of the only friends you'd ever really had because you'd done something stupid.

It was only after that wave washed over you that you realized Near didn't have lapses in judgment, and he never would have joined you if he hadn't thought it through completely first. And with that revelation came an odd calm to wipe away your guilt and worry because if Near was clinging onto you it was by his choice and his choice alone, and you had nothing to feel guilty over.

The hands around your middle started to move, and you bit back a giggle as they hit a rather ticklish spot in their journey backwards towards their owner.

Once they were out of the way you rolled over, and caught your breath at the sight of a still-sleepy Near drenched in dawn light. "Morning." You managed, watching him blink his eyes fully open.

It was then you discovered mornings were not Near's thing, as he burrowed back under the covers and cuddled closer to you, fully intent upon using you as a very large teddy bear as he drifted back off to sleep, a smile now haunting his lips. "That greeting will still be valid in an hour. I suggest you wait until then to use it."

You grinned, letting him wrap you in his arms and let the world fall away again. Silently, you sent a prayer to whoever was listening, and asked that they let this keep happening until the day the earth stopped spinning.

Then, and only then, could you stop being used as a teddy bear.

_Will you please ease my pain...?_

* * *

><p><em>Near is one of my favorite characters, hands down. As I'm sure you can tell by how long this turned out. XD<br>_

_And yes. If I had a special ringtone for Matt on my phone it would be exactly what I said it would be. Same goes for L.  
><em>

_I find this song kinda hypnotic and very soothing, and it's quite reminiscent of _Teardrop_ by _Massive Attack. _Or, at any rate, it is to me. Like a few of the other songs I've used, I suggest looking this one up just because._

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Ease My Pain" _belongs to: _Declan Flynn

Death Note and its related characters _belong to:_ Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata


	41. Swing Life Away

_I love this song. And, frankly, I love this character too. Psychotic alter-egos aside, of course._

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><p><em><strong>Summary<strong>_: **_-slight AU-_** He'd given you the most genuine smile you'd ever seen and helped you pick up your books without being prompted to do so, and you felt yourself slip in your defenses as his eyes met yours._  
><em>

_**Pairing:** _Marik Ishtar/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up?<br>Am I still your charm, or am I just bad luck?  
>Are we getting closer, or are we just getting more lost?<em>

You'd gone through it all before, in one way or another. The odd looks from the kids in your new school, the whispers of the people who lived across the hall from you in the apartment building. The casual looks of curiosity from the people you passed on the street. All of them because you looked a little different than everyone else you were around.

You'd thought you'd stopped caring about what other people thought about you. That's that you'd said, anyway, it was what you'd told yourself every night you struggled to fall asleep because you could practically still feel the stares boring into the back of your head from the kids who couldn't just come ask you where'd you'd transferred from.

And that was part of the struggle too, of course, trying to make sure everyone knew you'd moved because of your brother's work and not because you were a troubled kid who couldn't stay in one school for more than a semester or two. You moved because you had no choice, changing schools the same way other people changed their hairstyles because it was the only thing you actually could do. You had no choice in the matter, and it always made you mad that no one thought to ask you about it.

Well, no one had until that day when you ran into a particularly cute kid in the hall who'd actually apologized for bumping into you instead of assuming it was your fault to begin with. He'd given you the most genuine smile you'd ever seen and helped you pick up your books without being prompted to do so, and you felt yourself slip in your defenses as his eyes met yours.

"I'm Marik, by the way," he'd realized he hadn't introduced himself right before you made your escape along the hall you two now shared alone, the other kids having ducked into their classes, "and you're the new transfer student, right?"

You'd nodded, unable to get out a syllable without your voice spiking to an embarrassing key in surprise.

"Has anyone showed you around yet?" He asked suddenly, tipping his head off to one side. "I can't imagine it's easy for you, being so new. Do you want me to show you around town after school? I don't mind."

And he'd been so sincere and genuine and nice that you hadn't heard any sort of warning bell about a boy asking you to meet him after school, and instead nodded like there wasn't anything wrong with such an out-of-the-blue offer.

"Great! I'll see you out front after, then." He'd given you another smile, brighter than any you'd seen in this place before, and dodge off down the hall without another word.

You stood in silence for another minute before you realized you were supposed to be taking this time to go to the library, and if you didn't hurry you'd never get all your reading done in time.

That day, more than any other in your life, you found it difficult to pay attention to your classes because he kept popping up to the forefront of your mind, the blond with the bright smile and brilliant amethyst eyes who'd been the first to offer the olive branch without any strings attached. And as the day wore on and the hands of the clock in your classroom slowly ticked closer to your freedom, you felt excitement bubble up in your stomach for the first time since moving into Domino City a month ago.

For the first time since you'd started this parade of yours after your brother and his career, you felt like maybe you'd found a friend, and that was enough to make you practically rush out the front doors after the final bell of the day sounded and look around the yard expectantly for that tan skin and bleached hair.

Marik wasn't alone in his planned expedition, and within an hour, you found you had more friends than you'd been expecting to find in so short a time.

But you certainly weren't complaining.

_I'll show you mine if you show me yours first  
>Let's compare scars, I'll tell you who's is worse<br>Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words..._

After that first month it was like a veil had lifted, and suddenly you weren't the strange new kid on the block anymore. You had friends, people you could meet up with after school and swap homework with when need be. You had connections and protection from gossip and bullies and more than you'd ever imagined you'd find here when your brother had first relocated you.

You could be yourself for the first time in years, and it didn't matter how different you might be, because this band of kids accepted you no matter what. Theirs was a friendship that ran deeper than just the surface, and now that you were a part of it, you knew that would never change. What connected them was deeper than simple association, and you weren't afraid to share what had happened to you in the past with them.

You knew they would keep your secrets just as much as they knew you'd keep theirs.

It was on this assumption, and a few choice suggestions by Joey, that you all had one massive study slumber-party the day before finals began. What had started as a very serious attempt to help each other in the areas where you struggled quickly degenerated into an all-out dueling fest with everyone present.

You'd been beaten twice already, and had conceded defeat in favor of plopping onto the couch to watch Ryou attempt to explain to Serenity a particularly difficult equation while her brother tried to gun down Tristan and his apparently improved deck.

Marik had never been far from your side since the first time you met, and when he gently laid a hand on your shoulder and nodded off towards the stairs that led to the second floor, you'd followed him without hesitation.

He'd looked so guilty as he turned to face you on the second floor landing that you'd almost laughed at his expression. "I didn't want to say anything in front of the others, but I had to ask…" He motioned vaguely to your left side. "Those scars… Did you put them there?"

You didn't know when he'd seen them, or how, but at the moment it didn't matter. The laughter left your face and you stared at him as you tried to work out exactly what he'd just asked you.

"I mean… You don't have to tell me if you'd rather not, but I just need to know. Because, I have some of my own, but I didn't put them there; and well…" He trailed off, looking even more contrite than he had a few moments before.

Your hand landed unconsciously against your upper arm, fingers digging into the fabric of your shirt as you thought of the long gashes that ran red and angry across your shoulder and onto your back. "I didn't put them there." You mumbled, almost to yourself. "Someone else… Got angry. It wasn't really their fault, though; it was sort of an accident…" You trailed off as strong, tan arms looped around your shoulders and tugged you gently into a hug.

Marik stood with you wrapped gently in his arms for several long, comfortably silent minutes before he pulled away and smiled at you, all unspoken apologies for whoever had hurt you and promises not to share the information. "So since you sort of showed me yours, do you want me to show you mine?"

You were nodding before you could think to stop the motion of your head, and felt guilt slide solidly into the pit of your stomach as he turned around and tugged his shirt up over his head.

They stood out in dark, solid lines against his back, unmistakable for anything other than deliberate torture upon his body. "It's a long story," he muttered with a shrug as you lightly traced along the line of one wing that graced his shoulder, "the others already know it."

"You'll have to tell it to me sometime, then." You turned him back around by the shoulder once his shirt had been tugged back into place and gave him a smile of your own, apologizing silently for something you could never have prevented, but regretted all the same.

He opened his mouth to reply when a shout from downstairs interrupted him, and Joey's insistent voice drifted up the staircase to you. "You two had better get back down here or there won't be any ice cream left!"

Marik had grinned at you and offered you his hand, tipping his head in a silent suggestion that you both return to civilization. You'd grinned right back and accepted the offer without hesitation.

_I've been here so long, I think that it's time to move  
>The winter's so cold, summer's over too soon<br>Let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow..._

Years passed, and you were still shocked that you'd managed to stay in one place for so long without your brother coming into your room one day and telling you that your time in this place was up and you had to move yet again.

High school years came and went with a volley of fond memories, and once you'd all graduated and started to grow apart little by little, you made a pact to never fully forget each other. No matter how much time had passed, or how far apart you'd moved, you'd always remember your friends, and they would always remember you.

But despite how much you enjoyed the solace of knowing you belonged, and that you were a part of a place in so many more ways than you'd ever imagined when you'd first been introduced to Domino City, you couldn't help but wonder at the feeling that had started to flit its way into your chest. It was an odd ache that reminded you of the days when you'd been on the wing from one city to another in a matter of months, and when you finally realized what it was, you almost felt a little guilty.

You wanted to travel.

You wanted to feel the rush of discovery over a new place, new people. The slow but steady adaption to a new environment from the one you were accustomed to. The knowledge that anything could happen now, because you were somewhere completely and utterly _new_.

You kept it to yourself, though, because you didn't want to crush the dreams of a particularly dopey blond who looked at you like another little sister, or dim the bright glow in Yugi's eyes when he told you of a new plan he had, or walk away from all the memories you made with your ring of friends. You wanted to stay, to continue to be with them and make more memories, but at the same time there was something in the pit of your stomach that refused to be quieted by the idea of staying where you were. You needed this, the adventure, the excitement, and no amount of persuading on your part was going to change that.

You'd been planning to sneak away in the middle of the night. To leave a note for your brother and an email for everyone else. Make a clean break without any messy goodbyes or pleads for you to change your mind. All you wanted was to get away without feeling any guiltier about it than you already did.

But Marik, who'd always been there for you when you needed him, turned up on your doorstep the day you were planning to leave, and you thought he'd be the only one who might understand. But he surprised you, the way he always did when you least expected it, and what came out of his mouth was not a request for you to stay in the same city, but something else entirely.

"Do you want to move to Egypt with me?" And that worried, anxious, embarrassed expression you'd seen on him a million times before was back for a repeat performance, and you decided that you could take a companion along for the ride. "I mean," he'd continued when you hadn't replied, "I totally get it if you don't want to, or if you think it's a bad idea, but I've noticed the way you've been acting and I figured you'd be running off by yourself and I think that's a terrible idea because you should always take someone with you, and I thought that maybe it could be…"

He never got to say _me_, because you'd laughed and shut him up with a sound kiss that told him everything you needed to say without actually uttering a word.

_I've got some friends, some that I hardly know  
>But we've had some times, I wouldn't trade for the world<br>We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go..._

Life in a sunbaked land turned out to be just the change you needed, because living with Marik under the shade of palm trees was utter paradise, and you loved every golden moment of it.

You'd always been a survivor, and you adapted to your new environment in a heartbeat by the side of the boy who'd managed to steal away both you and your heart from everyone else in the world.

Marik knew his way through the markets and managed to make everything in your new life so perfectly simple. He had connections that could manage any little task given to them, and you never wanted for anything. You could explore anywhere you pleased with him by your side, and you knew you were safe.

You made new friends quickly and shared with them some perfectly wonderful memories. And when you had visitors, which tended to happen in winter when outsiders could actually stand the heat, they would explore alongside you and make memories outside their comfort zones just because they knew how much it meant to you that they would come see you so far from your old home.

And when that fluttering in your chest started again, and you needed to go somewhere new, Marik was right there at your side, ready to pick a random point on the map and drive until you reached the sunset. You didn't have to be tied down in any one place any longer, and as long as it was Marik who accompanied you, you never felt like you were dragging someone along against their will.

Marik had decided to sprout wings of his own and fly as far as you deemed necessary just to be sure you staid safe, and staid by his side. And you, always used to being the outsider looking in, had finally found your real home, and never intended to leave it again.

_We live on front porches and swing life away,  
>We get by just fine here on minimum wage<br>If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,  
>I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand...<em>

* * *

><p><em>American-dub names yet again. Just because I can, and it's what I'm used to.<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Swing Life Away" _belongs to: _Rise Against

Yu-Gi-Oh! and its related characters _belong to: _Kazuki Takahashi


	42. Set Apart This Dream

_I think Matt would probably be pleased by the fact that he's number 42.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: <strong>_And maybe it had been a little silly when it had first started, just a little, but he didn't care because no amount of time spent glued either to the TV screen or Mello's mischievous side could compete with a moment spent with you and your bright eyes so full of hope for the future.

_**Pairing**_: Matt/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Close your eyes little girl<br>You're a princess now, you own this world  
>Twirling in your twirly dress<br>You're the loveliest far above the rest..._

You'd been by his side since the beginning. Ever present and ever perfect in his eyes. So much more than anyone had ever thought you'd be, because they couldn't see you the way he could.

And for all the others, you'd just been one more face in the crowd, one more little orphan girl who was admitted to the house you all shared because you showed promise. But not to him. Oh no, he'd known what you were the moment he'd laid eyes on you.

You were a princess.

And it didn't matter what Mello said, he was in love and it was as simple as that. There was something about you, about the way you wore your hair and held your chin up just a smidge higher than everyone else, the way you worked figures in a snap and still managed to have a magnificent imagination, the way you twirled in your long dresses when you thought no one was looking, the way you looked at him across the room and smiled, the way you lit up the world like no one else.

And maybe it had been a little silly when it had first started, just a little, but he didn't care because no amount of time spent glued either to the TV screen or Mello's mischievous side could compete with a moment spent with you and your bright eyes so full of hope for the future.

And the nights when you had bad dreams, brought on by villainous shadows that haunted your bedroom, Matt would be there to whisper you slowly back to sleep and watch your face ease into slumber, all the worries of the world suddenly slackening from your features as you dreamed of wonderful places and palaces filled with courtiers all bowing to you and you alone.

At least, that was what he hoped you dreamed of.

He would always slip away before you awoke the next morning, because he had decided that might be a bit much at so crucial a stage as this, but he made sure you were safe. Even when you didn't know it, he was keep an eye on you, because there had never before been such a thudding in his chest than when you walked past, or so strong a desire to deck a kid than when he teased you over one thing or another that Matt found absolutely lovely about you.

He was the first boy you ever let catch you off-guard and allowed to cover your eyes with a whisper to keep them shut tight as he led you through well-worn halls and showed you wonders you'd never knew existed until then.

He knew all the things that made you tick and twirl and it made his heart hurt when you were sad, even though his young mind couldn't quite figure out why.

So he'd decided on the spot one night, when he'd found you sobbing silently into your pillow for a reason he knew better than to ask about, that no matter what happened, or what turns life took you two on, he'd be there. He'd look after you.

And no matter what, he'd love you, because he knew that was more important than any number of other things combined. And if you didn't love him back, well…

He was willing to take that chance.

_You build your castles in the sky  
>Stars reflecting off your eyes<br>And angels sing on silver clouds  
>And no one cries, screams or shouts...<em>

It took you a few years, but the day you singled him out and asked him to join you up on the roof to watch the stars, his heart did backflips worthy of a gold metal.

And you didn't notice how you affected him, as loudly as his heart was pounding out against his ribs he thought you might be able to hear it, but he didn't care, because he had all the time in the world to get this right. And you deserved nothing short of perfection.

You were a dreamer, always talking about the things you knew you'd never get but that you wanted anyway, and he never laughed at you, because he knew more than most how important dreams could be.

He encouraged your fantasies, always making suggestions when his opinion was requested, and never once tried to tear down the castle that you'd started to build up in the sky. He wanted you seated up there on a throne of pearls and gold, wreathed all 'round with angels singing. And he didn't care how silly Mello thought that sounded, because it was true, and no one had asked the blonde's opinion in the first place, thank you very much!

More than anything, though, he wanted you to be happy. He wanted you to escape all the sadness in the world, all the hurt and sorrow and disappointment. He wanted you to achieve all your dreams, because the alternative was too terrible to even think about.

"So, when you leave here," he began casually one night as you two sat out on the shingles just above your bedroom window, "what do you want to do? I mean, if you could pick anything."

You laughed, gently, and turned to look at him. "I dunno. I mean, there so many things I'd _like _to be, I'm not sure if I could narrow it down to just one. Is that a bad thing?"

He stared at you as the stars were reflected back at him from your eyes, and his heart stopped beating for a fraction of a second, because nothing could compare to that image no matter how long he lived. "No," he whispered back eventually, "that's not a bad thing at all."

You'd smiled then, all innocent and untapped potential, and more than ever before he knew that he could never let anything happen to you without feeling guilt for the rest of his life. Someone like you, who could build castles in the sky and know that they might not float forever but would try just the same, deserved to have the best that life could offer.

And he intended to be there to make sure you got it.

_Close your eyes pretty girl  
>'Cause it's easier when you brace yourself<br>Set your thoughts on a world far off  
>Where we only cry from joy...<em>

Life wasn't the kindest of creatures, of that Matt had no doubts, but there were certain times when he wished it would take a break from the constant vindictiveness in order to let good people, people like you, have a break from all the things life threw the way of not so good people.

People like him.

So the nights he came back to the dimly lit apartment wincing and nursing a new injury, and found you there waiting with the first-aid kit, he felt like possibly the worst person on the planet for making you worry about him. And he always apologized, because he was guilty as charged in the made-my-girl-worry department, and you always waved it off because that wasn't the point.

"You're alive," you pointed out for possibly the millionth time that month, "I don't care about anything else."

"You should," he replied in the same way he had ever since this pattern had started, "I'm a terrible human being." The confession always slipped past his lips without him really meaning to say it, despite how true he found it, and he always winced seconds later because he'd said that to your face, and you were the one looking out for him now, although heaven only knew why you put up with his antics.

"Liar." You snapped back instinctively. "A terrible human being wouldn't have kept me safe for so long." You'd stitch and bandage and remedy his wounds. "A terrible human being wouldn't let himself get injured trying to save someone important to them." Your voice would dip a few octaves and you'd close your eyes, always remembering the words he'd told you way back when you'd still been children. "A terrible human being wouldn't be so easy to love."

And you'd say it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and Matt's heart would shatter in his chest like crystal thrown against a brick wall because that was life's sense of humor all over. The boy who'd decided to protect a little girl the first time he'd laid eyes on her ending up being the one protected by a girl who could close her eyes and overcome anything thrown her way.

"But an angel like you still would be." His lips would twitch upwards at the edges, almost rueful in their expression, and he'd wait the span of perhaps six seconds before he leaned in and stole a kiss without warning, all his wounds screaming in protest before you kissed back and soothed all his pain away without even having to try.

"I'm no angel." You'd always reprimand him when he called you that, all the while trying to hide the smile that the comment elicited.

"Only because they mislaid your wings and haven't been able to deliver them yet." And he'd grin shamelessly, because nothing else really mattered so long as you were waiting for him when he came back from a job, beaten and bloody, ready to stitch his seams back together.

And all the dreams in the world couldn't compete with the reality that no matter what anyone said, you two were happy, and he wouldn't have fixed it any other way, even if he'd been able to.

You were all he'd ever really wanted in life, that little girl from so long ago twirling to a symphony only you could hear, and now that he had you it didn't matter what life threw his way.

He'd be able to take it if you continued to stay by his side.

_Oh, lovely and beautiful, precious and priceless  
>You're so much more than you know, heart of the purest gold<br>Pure clean and white as snow clothed in such splendor  
>Oh, what a beauty for me...<em>

* * *

><p><em>And thus the last of the dear Wammy Boys is accounted for. It's about time. XD<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Set Apart This Dream" _belongs to: _Flyleaf

Death Note and its related characters _belong to:_ Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata


	43. Drumming Song

_Sorry this took so long to get back to, I've been juggling a few different projects these past few weeks. Hopefully now you'll forgive me, though!  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary<strong>_: It was an instant thrum in your bones, a _knowing_ that filled your mind and caused the rest of the world to melt away into nothing more than distant sounds and shapes. You were captivated by those crimson eyes, and they held your attention throughout the night_  
><em>

_**Pairing: **_Sebastian Michaelis/Reader_**  
><strong>_

* * *

><p><em>There's a drumming noise inside my head<br>That starts when you're around  
>I swear that you could hear it<br>It makes such an all mighty sound..._

It had happened the first time you'd seen him.

It was nothing more than a brief meeting of your eyes, a glance stolen across a crowded ballroom as he attended to his young master and you swirled in time with the music that filled the grand ballroom, your partner only just managing to keep up with the other dancers that turned in time with the beat along with you.

It was an instant thrum in your bones, a _knowing_ that filled your mind and caused the rest of the world to melt away into nothing more than distant sounds and shapes. You were captivated by those crimson eyes, and they held your attention throughout the night, even when it was sapphire eyes that instead met your gaze as a certain young Earl did his duty and danced with the only woman in the room who didn't drive him half mad with her drivel.

Ciel couldn't hear it, of that you were sure. And if any other lady at the assembly could hear it as well, they kept their petite mouths shut on the subject. It didn't do to gossip about the hired help of an Earl, one hell of a butler or otherwise.

"I fear I may have lost your attention to another." Ceil commented softly as he took you into another gentle turn across the marble floor, the corners of his mouth hitching upwards just slightly. "May I ask who you find so captivating as to carry away your attention entirely?"

And there it was, the perfect opportunity to ask him for a favor, to ask him to enter into a scheme, to allow you just a little bit of leniency, just this once, because you had earned it from all the times you had turned a blind eye to his own antics. "As a matter of fact, Ciel, you may ask."

And there on the dance floor, in the privacy the waltz permitted, you told Ciel exactly what had just happened, and had asked that he let you play for a while.

And he, with a grin to rival the Cheshire cat's own, had agreed.

_There's a drumming noise inside my head  
>That throws me to the ground<br>I swear that you should hear it  
>It makes such an almighty sound...<em>

It happened again as soon as you were in his company again.

That thrum from before, the quickening of your heart and the drumming of your pulse in your ears. It was a staggering effect, and on more than one occasion you found yourself laying a hand on Ciel's shoulder to steady your suddenly shaky balance.

And when he spoke, that voice in your ear was enough to set your world spinning out of balance, throwing everything askew and making you feel dizzy and almost sick from the suddenness of it. The tone he used, the sweet melody of his voice as his tongue rolled gently over the words that were spoken in a near whisper directly against the sensitive shell of your ear, as though he _knew_ what he was doing to you. As though he intended to make you crack first, before you ever had the chance to fight back.

He made you feel vulnerable. He was playing with a full hand, and here you were without any idea of the rules involved or even what game you'd gotten yourself into. You had thought taking on the Phantomhive butler would be entertaining, something to distract you from the humdrum life you lead in the city at your family's home, but you hadn't ever thought it would come to this.

This was less of a game for you than it was an all-out war.

Fought with silences and slanted eyes, glares and tentative grasps to one another's person. It was a battle that was waged with minds, not bodies, and you knew if it came to it you would break long before he would.

He was a nothing like you had imagined him to be, an enigma dressed in a dark suit and made up of shadows and secrets that no one could quite decipher.

Not even the Earl himself.

But you had never been one to give up on a challenge without your best attempt to win whatever war was being fought, and this was no exception. You would fight until you bled, and then fight just a little longer than that. You would not lose to someone like Sebastian Michaelis, no matter how much you might have wanted to cave and let him win, let him find all your cracks and break you bit by bit.

You would not lose to a devil like him.

_I ran to a tower where the church bells chime  
>I hoped that they would clear my mind<br>They left a ringing in my ear  
>But that drum's still beating loud and clear...<em>

It had long since stopped being an occasional nuisance, and had grown into an affliction you could not rid yourself of, no matter how far away you ran. Be it your room in the manor, the gardens away from the others, the woods that filled the estate, or even London, there was no escaping the drums that now filled your mind.

It was now clear that he knew, that he had known for some time and simply didn't care, that he was prepared to let you suffer on through without lifting a finger to help you in your agony. He would merely smile across the room at you, and with nothing more than that and a flickering of his gaze over your figure you would be burning from the inside out, the noise in your mind blocking all else out.

You would rather run than admit defeat, even though vanishing from the grounds was almost an admission in of itself, but it was not an outright declaration that you were defeated. You still refused to let him win, even when he plagued your dreams in warm sighs and smirks that seared themselves into your skin as he let his lips play across your flesh like the most practiced pianist, coaxing noises from you with such ease that you felt shame wash over you in waves when you awoke to find it was once again nothing but a dream.

On the days you escaped from the house you would take a carriage to the nearest church and hide near the bell tower, letting the chimes wash away the drumming in your mind at least for a little. But once you slipped back down the stairs and returned to the manor, it would be back, hammering against the inside of your skull so forcefully that you wanted to scream.

You pretended nothing was wrong, that everything would be perfectly alright once you got some sleep, but you knew it was just a lie.

When you were awake Sebastian haunted the halls and would whisper the most mundane of things into your ear in a way that made you melt where you stood, and when you were asleep, his voice was used for much more nefarious things, and you had no choice but to join in, screaming out his name to the ceiling and wishing it was more than a dream.

_As I move my feet towards your body  
>I can hear this beat it fills my head up<br>And gets louder and louder  
>It fills my head up and gets louder and louder...<em>

You caved first.

You'd had enough of waking up to fevered whimpers muffled by your pillow, and an ache in your bones for the one man who refused to pick a side on which to stand. To either stop whispering things to you softly and sizing you up like he would his next meal, or make good on all those veiled threats and devour you whole the way you wished he would.

So when you caught him alone, blessedly alone, tending dutifully to dinner with his sleeves pushed up past his elbows and that utterly innocent smile on his face, you decided you'd had enough.

You supposed desperation made you brave, made you strong, because you threw him against the pantry door and pulled him into a crushing kiss. And for the first time since you'd seen him across the ball room, the drumming in your head fell silent for just a moment, and you realized you'd won.

He never would have been able to come to you, not when you were above his station, but if you came to him instead, well… How could he possibly deny a lady of your standing so simple a request?

His lips were sinful against your neck, finding all the right places to press, and when he employed his teeth and tongue as well, you grabbed him and held on for dear life.

The drumming was back, more loudly and forcefully than before, but you ignored it in favor of the sound of your name rolling off his talented tongue, and the gentle, flitting touches that landed so sweetly against your skin.

_I run to the river and dive straight in  
>I pray that the water will drown out the din<br>But as the water fills my mouth  
>It couldn't wash the echoes out<br>But as the water fills my mouth  
>It couldn't wash the echoes out...<em>

It wasn't until the next morning, when you awoke to find yourself back in your bedroom and a pair of tailcoats disappearing around the door, that you realized what you'd done.

All the fighting, all the battles won or lost, all for this. The suddenly empty feeling inside you and the return of the beating in the back of your mind, never fully satisfied, no matter what you did.

Throughout the day, he avoided you, and for quite some time you wondered why. Sebastian wasn't the sort to cave so fully and then act as though nothing had happened. He wouldn't do that to you, you decided, and so you waited.

You told the pounding of your heart to silence itself, the drumming in your mind to leave you be for now. You tried to control your gaze and keep it away from his brilliantly blood colored eyes, but you couldn't. Ciel made no mention of it, for which you would forever be grateful, but you knew that wouldn't last.

The silence would break, sooner rather than later, and you didn't want to be there when it did. You wanted the drumming to stop, for your pulse to once again return to a regular pace, for your mind to stop conjuring up the memories Sebastian had left you with. You wanted it all to stop before it went all wrong. You wanted to remember it the way it had been, to forever remember the feeling of his lips on your skin, and his fingers pressing gently deeper into you.

The river had been easier to find than you had first imagined it might be, and when the cool surface glimmered invitingly in the moonlight, you knew this was what you wanted. A world where you could remember, but never have to forget. Never have to pretend what had happened was anything other than exactly what you'd both wanted.

You didn't hear the sound of your name on the wind until you were already plummeting into the cold depths of blue, and you sighed as the rushing water drowned out the din in your head, and everything went to a brilliant shade of white. So perfect and peaceful.

When strong arms had wrapped around your waist and hauled you from the water, you hadn't struggled, there was no coughing or choking until lips found yours and breathed life back into you. And when you jolted up from the grass into an embrace that had been waiting for you, you almost wished it wasn't there for you to find. You almost wished he'd let you go, let you drown; let you wash out the stains and your soul.

But as fingers worked through your hair and a voice by your ear assured you that was the last thing he wanted, you wondered if perhaps you'd been mistaken. Perhaps this sound was not as unwelcome as you had imaged. Perhaps the silence was what you should fear, not the noise.

Perhaps you would not have to forget after all.

_I swallow the sound and it swallows me whole  
>Till there's nothing left inside my soul<br>As empty as that beating drum  
>But the sound has just begun...<em>

* * *

><p><em>Yeah, I know. Bout time I got around to him, right? XD<br>_

_In my defense, it was a nightmare to find a song for him, and when I finally did, I was not about to rush it and ruin it. So hopefully this holds up to all your expectations. If not, feel free to complain. On the other hand, if you're thrilled with it, I would love to hear about that too.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Drumming Song" _belongs to: _Florence and the Machine

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	44. Everybody Loves Me

_Character/Song pairing picked by: _Methodical Madness

_AU setting inspired by: _Scyllaya

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary<em>**_**: -AU-** _But if you were being honest, there was only one member that made a difference to you, and his real name was Light Yagami._  
><em>

**_Pairing:_**Light Yagami/Reader

* * *

><p><em>And you don't have to make a sound<br>Cause they got what you need..._

You had lied to your friends when they asked you who your favorite band was. It was one thing to tell them that you like the new Visual Kei band, it was another entirely to tell them that you were close to obsessed with the members of _Death Notes_. Specifically the brunette with honey colored eyes that had first gotten you interested in the band.

Sure, L was cute, and he had a fair number of followers of his own, but the whole "_baby panda_" look just didn't really float your boat. And okay, you'd be lying if you said that you didn't loved the way Mello looked jamming on bass in all that leather, or how attractive you found Matt on drums, but none of them, not even cute little Near who always stood at the back of the stage, could compare with the lead guitarist.

And yes, okay, you had his picture in your locker at school and even knew his real name, even though the stage name _Kira_ did things to the pit of your stomach when you thought about it for too long, but that was not something you were about to tell your friends.

No, when they asked, you liked _all_ the boys that played in the band, and you liked _all_ their songs, not just the ones where Kira added his voice to L's main vocals, and no, "_New World_" was _not_ your favorite song because Kira was the only one who sang it, you liked it for the words and the message.

You'd been pretending for ages about how little you really liked him, even going so far as putting up pictures of Mello and Matt in your locker along with Kira, but if you were being honest, there was only member that made a difference to you, and his real name was Light Yagami.

_God love all the people that have warned you  
>God love all your sentimental virtue<br>Eight balls with the takers that'll make you  
>Lay cards with the lovers that'll hate you...<em>

You hadn't been expecting much for your birthday, but your brother had always had the opinion that you should be spoiled rotten, no matter the occasion, so when your birthday rolled around and you found two tickets, complete with backstage passes, to the _Death Notes_ concert that was coming to town, you nearly fainted.

You knew exactly who you were going to take, and spent the better part of two weeks before the concert started picking out exactly what you were going to wear, and what the plan for the night would be. You didn't want to mess this up, since you only got one chance, and yeah, okay, it was probably not going to be as great as every fantasy you thought up in your head, but that wasn't the point.

You were going to be backstage, with the band members, and you were finally going to meet _him_.

So, on the night of the concert, you could barely see straight you were so excited, and you had to admit that there were a lot of people here who were just as ready to meet the boys as you, but that wasn't the point.

The point was you were moments away from perhaps the greatest experience of your life so far, and you just couldn't wait.

Except, that was exactly what you were doing, standing by one of the vendor's stalls in the hall where the concert was being held, more than ready to go inside and get a good spot, but unable to do so.

"Okay, that's it!" Misa, who was the friend you'd invited along for the ride, grabbed your hand and tugged you off around one curved hallway, following a few stagehands that were moving around sound equipment. "We're getting inside if I have to bribe my way in!"

You laughed along with her, more than perfectly aware that she meant it, and let her lead you off along the hallway without another worry.

You were halfway through a door when she drew up short, a tiny squeak slipping past her lips, and you peered around her shoulder to see what the problem was.

The problem, funnily enough, was Mello, fiddling with the strings on his bass and swearing softly under his breath. "Matt, the hell did you do to this thing?"

"I didn't do anything to it." Matt snapped back, glaring at him from under the signature goggles that were perched atop his head. "You know I can't play it, so why do you even ask."

L rolled his eyes, checking over the microphone in his hands, and gave them both sharp looks. "Can you two please not fight for just one night? Please?"

They both grumbled out their agreement before Misa backpedaled so fast she tripped over you, and you both went toppling backwards through the door. You were just pulling yourself back together when the door opened again, and the blond, the brunette, and the redhead were all peering at you curiously.

"Looks like we caught ourselves some cute little mice…" Mello commented with a rather feral grin, and you felt a jolt run along your spine.

"Sorry!" You blurted out, standing up and quickly bowing to the three of them. "We didn't mean to intrude, we were just trying to find another way into the auditorium…" You straightened when you heard L shuffle closer, his bare feet whispering over the linoleum tiles softly.

"Don't apologize," he shrugged, giving you the smallest of smiles, "we don't really mind."

Misa looked like she was ready to have a heart attack with the way Mellow was looking at her, and you quickly went to her rescue. "Never the less, we should really be getting inside…"

"What's the rush?" A voice spoke from behind you, and you felt your heart miss a few beats, because you knew _exactly_ who that voice belonged to. Light slid into your line of sight with a smirk tugging at his lips, and you thought you might melt into the floor at the sight. "You have backstage passes, right?" He didn't wait for your answer, instead reaching forward and checking the tag around your neck for himself. "So why not kill time with us? We'll be sure you get a great spot for the show."

L glanced his way before nodding. "Stay."

And there was no way you would have ever been able to answer in the negative, even if it had been phrased like a question.

_Oh my!  
>Feels just like I don't try<br>Looks so good I might die  
>All I know is everybody loves me<br>Get down,  
>Swaying to my own sound<br>Flashes in my face now  
>All I know is everybody loves me<br>Everybody loves me..._

You couldn't remember the last time you'd had so much fun at a concert. From hanging out with the band backstage before the show to the show itself and the pounding of the bass and the drums in your chest, you were having the time of your life.

You danced and laughed and sang until your throat hurt, and every time you caught the glances that Light would slide you, you felt your heart start to hammer against your ribs again. And then he'd grin right into whatever camera was nearest him on stage, and that million-dollar look was projected up onto the massive screens on either side of the stage, and you felt a little lightheaded.

The crowd merely added to the adrenaline already singing through your veins, and whenever you turned to look at Misa, either to giggle at how awesome your night was, or drool over something one of the boys on stage had done, you felt like your night couldn't get any better. You could die tomorrow, and you'd be happy, as morbid of a thought as that was.

The last song of the night started to play, following their usual routine of ending on a high note, and as the lyrics to _"Shinigami" _started to slip past L's lips, you knew that tonight had been the best of your life, and it would only get better by the time you went backstage for the second time. The music began to fade, only the chords of the bass ringing out through the auditorium, and the lights dimmed in time with the fading guitar and drums. You turned to Misa to ask what would be the best plan for getting back to see the boys again as the rest of the crowd turned and started to shuffle towards the doors.

But then, out of the blue, the lights flared back on, and Light stepped up to the mike and smirked right at you before he started to speak. "Just so we're clear, this is not going to become a regular thing." The crowd instantly screamed with delight as he walked to the side of the stage and picked up one of the acoustic guitars that had been sitting in the rack all night, untouched until now. "But you have been great tonight, so I think you deserve something a little special."

And you swore your heart had full on stopped beating at that point, as you watched him tap out a quick rhythm with his foot before he started to pluck the strings delicately, and you felt your heart begin to pound as you recognized the beginning of _"New World"_.

And when Light opened his mouth and started to sing, _"I'll be the king of this new world if you'll be my queen_…", you felt giddy and lightheaded and close to actually crying, because he kept looking from his guitar to you and then back again, the smirk replaced with a soft smile.

You had never been happier than you were right then, standing at the edge of the stage and staring up into those honey eyes that were staring right back at you.

_Don't need my health  
>Got my name and got my wealth I<br>Stare at the sun  
>Just for kicks all by myself I<br>Lose track of time  
>So I might be past my prime<br>But I'm feeling oh so good..._

"Backstage" to the boys meant going back to the hotel suite they had been provided while they were in town for the concert, and although you certainly weren't complaining, it was a little odd to suddenly find yourself in such close quarters with people you hardly even knew.

Misa was camped out on a couch with Mello and Matt, chatting up a storm, and L had vanished into the kitchen in order to locate something to satisfy his sweet tooth. You, on the other hand, were standing out on the balcony with Light while he nursed a drink you knew by sight was alcoholic, and you tried to keep the blush off your cheeks.

"That song you played at the end…" You managed after a few moments of silence. "Was that for me?"

"Well you did say it was your favorite, didn't you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at you as he grinned. "Or was that some other cute girl backstage that I got you confused with?"

You nudged him, not even thinking about the action before it was too late to stop it, but he took it with grace and simply continued to smirk down at you. You knew he was only a year or two older than you, but it was impossible to tell by his eyes. They looked ancient, compared to the smooth skin of his face, and you felt a little sorry for him.

"You did enjoy it, though, didn't you?" He asked, suddenly sounding a little worried.

You blinked, looking up at him, and nodded. "It was amazing."

He smiled, nodding once. "Good." He took another sip from his drink and then glanced back over at you. "So you really weren't trying to sneak in and see us before the concert?"

You grinned. "We really weren't, I promise. We hadn't planned to get caught, either, but we can both be terrible klutzes."

He shook his head. "Oh, don't apologize, I had a great time… Still am, in fact." He winked at you and you felt heat flood back into your face.

It was the oddest sensation to be standing next to the man you'd been crushing on for the better part of two years, having the most mundane of conversations. Not odd in a bad way, obviously, but still odd. "Did you write that song for anyone in particular?" You asked softly, not looking at him.

"Not really." He replied with a shrug. "Everyone always asks me that, though… Maybe I should make up a better story to explain how it came into being." He glanced at you from the corner of his eye. "Maybe I should say I wrote it for you?"

"I don't think that's the greatest idea, Light…" You mumbled, before you realized what you'd just called him and clapped a hand over your mouth.

He smiled, though, and raised his eyebrows at you. "It's been a long time since anyone outside the band called me that…" He let his eyes drift over you for a moment before they returned to your reddening face. "Don't look so horrified, I don't mind."

"You don't?"

He winked. "When it's your pretty little mouth that's saying that name? Not even a little."

And what he did next continued to perplex you for the next several months, but you weren't about to complain about suddenly finding his mouth pressed up against your _pretty little_ one, or his calloused hand finding places to land against your waist.

"You know what," he breathed out as he grinned at you, "I think I will tell people I wrote that song for you."

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all." You managed with a blush and a bright smile.

He winked. "Not bad at all."

_And you don't have to make a sound  
>Cause they got what you need...<em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Everybody Loves Me" _belongs to: _OneRepublic

Death Note and its related characters _belong to:_ Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata


	45. Honeybee

_Been planning this one for a while, so pleased I finally got around to it.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**You'd looked just like a little doll yourself, your hair in perfect little ringlets around your face and your eyes so wide and bright, set in a beautifully round face. You looked perfect, dressed up in all those bows and frills, and he'd lost his heart to you right then.**_  
><em>**

**_Pairing_:** human!Drocell Keinz/Reader

* * *

><p><em>You didn't have to look my way<br>Your eyes still haunt me to this day  
>But you did. Yes, you did...<em>

You'd been but a little girl the first time he'd seen you, and he no more than a boy himself, drifting past the window in wide-eyed wonder as you gazed in past the glass and stared at all the beautiful creations that sat on their shelves and waited to be taken home and brought to life by little hands and minds to make them speak and act.

You'd looked just like a little doll yourself, your hair in perfect little ringlets around your face and your eyes so wide and bright, set in a beautifully round face. You looked perfect, dressed up in all those bows and frills, and he'd lost his heart to you right then.

And for a fraction of a second, while you resisted the insistent pull of your nanny on your hand, your eyes met his, and he knew that he'd have to make a doll that looked like that, just for you.

A doll full of that spirit and light, that excitement and bubbly curiosity. A doll with those perfect ringlets framing a beautifully round face and eyes that glowed from within with a spark that was unique to you alone.

He didn't care how long it would take him, how many times he had to fail before he succeeded, but he would make a doll that reflected that perfection he had seen in you.

It had taken only a moment's time, the span of perhaps a dozen heartbeats, for your image to be committed to his memory, and he swore then that he would do you justice, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

_You didn't have to say my name  
>Ignite my circuits and start a flame<br>But you did..._

It had been a few years, and several failed attempts to recreate your visage later, when you two had met for the second time. You had come into the shop properly, then, the same light in your eyes as you gazed about you and took in all the wonders that the toy shop had to offer.

"Drocell?" Your voice was like music, sweeter even than the music boxes that lined one wall of the small shop, and he felt his heart skip a few beats at the way your voice caressed his name. No one had seen the little tag on his work apron and said his name as sweetly as you did. No one had made the wiring in his brain suddenly spark and whirr in new ways.

"Yes, Miss, what can I do for you?" He had snapped to attention when you tipped your head off to one side, curls swinging in perfect unison, and watched him expectantly until he replied.

"I'd like a doll, if it's not too much trouble…?" You replied softly, looking a little embarrassed about purchasing one of the toys for yourself.

"No trouble at all, Miss." He'd smiled back at you, his heart hammering inside his chest as he tried to actually hear what you were saying instead of merely examine the way your lips moved as you formed the words you spoke to him.

And he had helped you to the best of his ability while the flame in his chest swelled whenever you both reached for the same thing and your hands bumped, or you agreed on one particular pattern for a dress, or you regarded him with something akin to warmth in those captivating eyes of yours. He tried, he really did, but he knew he was lost long before you ever left that day, and he simply couldn't bring himself to regret having lost his heart to a lady like you.

_You didn't have to smile at me  
>Your grin's the sweetest that I've ever seen<br>But you did. Yes you did..._

The third time he saw you, you were a proper lady, dressed in the high collar of your station and a hat that hid all those lovely curls he had come to love. But you were still so beautiful, he didn't mind in the least.

You greeted him the way you had the last time you'd entered the shop, saying his name so sweetly, and he remembered why he'd been so desperately trying to craft a doll that did you even a little justice.

And when you two began to talk as you picked out a doll for your younger sister, and you smiled at him, he thought that perhaps this was what heaven felt like. Like he was floating on clouds in the presence of an angel, and it didn't matter what happened in the world, because he was here, with you, and that was the only important thing.

Except, there were other matters to attend to, or at least that was what your maid had told you sternly when you appeared to be getting a little too familiar with a shop boy, and you frowned at her before agreeing to be right out.

"There's something I wanted to ask you," you whispered to him in a tone even sweeter than when you had said his name, "I'm having a ball at the end of the month, a coming out of sorts…" You slid an envelope with gilded edges across the counter to him, careful to keep it out of sight of your maid. "Would you attend?"

And even if he had wanted to say no, there was no way he could deny that look in your eyes and the way you had voiced the question.

"I would be delighted." He replied instead, dipping his head in order to hide the faint flush that had spread into his cheeks.

When he looked up, ready to bid you farewell, he was greeted by the sweetest grin he had ever seen, and he found the power over his vocal cords suddenly gone.

"Until then, Drocell." And you winked at him before you were turning on your heel and had returned to the proper young lady you were meant to be, despite how much he wished you could pretend for a little longer.

_You didn't have to offer your hand  
>Cause since I've kissed it I am at your command<br>But you did..._

The ball was, well, _grand_ to say the least, and he felt so thoroughly out of his element that he nearly turned tail and ran for the nearest exit. But then he'd seen you, and doing practically anything was made suddenly impossible.

You were in purple, a color that seemed to suit you perfectly, and with the smile you were wearing, you were a vision, a _goddess_, and he was incapable of doing anything but taking in the sight of you dressed like that.

And then you spotted him across the crowded room, and your face lit up the way no one else could make it, and you made your way to his side with a bright smile and even brighter eyes.

"You made it." It was almost a question, as though you had been doubting he would actually attend, and he returned a soft smile.

"I would not miss this for the world." And the tiny hint of pink that comment caused to bloom in your cheeks was worth all the looks he might be shot during the course of the night.

"Thank you." You breathed out, giving him a stunning smile as the band began to play and you offered him your hand.

He took a deep breath, bowed over the hand you had offered him, and pressed a fleeting kiss to your knuckles before he straightened and led you out onto the dance floor.

He knew then, more so than in any other moment, that he would be at your command for as long as you drew breath, and likely for a long time even after you had stopped.

But he didn't mind the idea of loving you so completely, if this was the feeling that he was rewarded with, and as he pressed a tentative kiss to your temple before whispering a soft confession into your ear as you twirled gracefully to the music that filled the hall, he knew you were more precious and perfect than any doll he might have made in your likeness.

No eyes could burn as brightly as yours, and there was no comparison for the passion he could see in your soul. There was no replicating one such as you, and he was perfectly content to keep you as his own for as long as you would have him.

And you, naturally, were more than willing to keep him as well.

_Set me free, my honeybee  
>Honeybee…<em>

* * *

><p><em>I love this whole <em>band_, not just this song, but after I heard it I could not get the idea of this drabble out of my mind. So here it is, and I hope you've enjoyed it.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Honeybee" _belongs to: _Steam Powered Giraffe

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	46. Evil Angel

_It has been way too long. Consider the mental image of him in a suit and fedora my apology for the hiatus. XD_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: -AU-<em>**Admittedly, when you'd first been found on the streets by the tall, dark haired stranger, you hadn't been expecting to end up as his right hand in the syndicate, and you certainly hadn't been expecting to get so much pleasure out of the whole thing.

**_Pairing:_**Naraku/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Hold it together, birds of a feather,<br>Nothing but lies and crooked wings.  
>I have the answer, spreading the cancer;<br>You are the faith inside me..._

The streets that led to and from the familiar, tall structure were dark, even in the middle of the day when light managed to slide in through the cracks in the almost-constant cloud cover, and the journey had long since become one you knew from habit more than anything else. You couldn't even really remember how long you'd worked in this section of the city, with all the other crooks and cutthroats that would have surely killed you by now if not for one thing in particular.

The spider tattoo that graced the back of your neck served better than any weapon would have to discourage trouble on the streets, and it would have been _begging_ for trouble for one of the other families to lay a finger on a member of the Onigumo clan.

Admittedly, when you'd first been found on the streets by the tall, dark haired stranger, you hadn't been expecting to end up as his right hand in the syndicate, and you certainly hadn't been expecting to get so much pleasure out of the whole thing.

But that was the strange thing about the families out here. Once you were a part of them, there was no leaving, no changing your mind and choosing another path for your life. Once you were in, there was no way out, and that was a simple fact that you had long ago come to terms with.

Not that you minded anymore, with how quickly you'd shot up the ranks and worked your way into the comfortable position of _Assistant Director_, which was just a cushy way of saying you were the boss's go-to girl when things weren't getting done.

And when things didn't get done in your family, you went and did them yourself, and when you did that, people tended to end up dead.

Wasn't your fault they just couldn't hold their arsenic.

Naraku had never complained about the way you did things, though, and you took that as a very good sign. Usually when something didn't go the way he had planned, the person who hadn't followed orders ended up with a new cement suit, but you… You were different, somehow.

And you decided that you liked it that way.

_I'm a believer,  
>Nothing could be worse,<br>All these imaginary friends.  
>Hiding betrayal,<br>Driving the nail,  
>Hoping to find a savior...<em>

When you were on a case, no matter who had put you there, you always kept up with the other members of your family. If there was somewhere that was already taken for a drop-off (and thankfully the cops knew better than to look into any suspicious, strategically placed bins of any kind), you'd have to leave your parcel somewhere else, and that could take a bit of maneuvering about the city to achieve unless you were out on your own without anyone else hogging all the drop-off points that dotted your section of the city.

Most people knew better than to try and dump something in Onigumo territory, but every once in a while you'd get a new kid that didn't know any better, and he'd wander over the line that surrounded your sector of the city. Those were the worst, because then you had to take care of it personally and be sure the little runt didn't do it again.

Unless, of course, you sent someone else to go do it (usually Kagura, because she couldn't shut up about how left out of the loop she felt, and you liked making her suffer for complaining about her lack of missions), and stayed behind at the hideout with your boss.

Which was where you were now.

"I've been keeping an eye on you recently," his voice was keyed to a lower note than usual, and you had to struggle to hear him from the other side of the room, "I must admit to being impressed, even by one such as you."

His summons had arrived on your desk that morning without any sort of forewarning, and you'd been admittedly worried about it before you'd plucked up the courage to take the elevator to the top floor and slip through the slick chrome doors to his office. Despite the state of most of the city, this sector was by far the nicest that could be seen for miles, and Naraku had made sure where he made his home could live up to his expectations. "Thank you, sir." You replied softly when you realized he was waiting for a response. "It means a great deal for you to say so."

He turned away from the window, his profile catching the light from outside, and not for the first time you were struck with just how attractive your boss was. "You deserved it. I wouldn't have complimented you otherwise."

And wasn't _that_ true. You'd had more slaps to the wrist in your time than you would have ever admitted, but the times like this, when you got it right, made all the small reprimands you'd had to endure so totally worth it. "I know, sir, but I still appreciate the compliment."

He chuckled, a rumble like thunder that sounded through the room and gave you chills. "Keep up the good work, and you might get more than a compliment next time." His eyes flashed for the briefest of moments with something you couldn't quite name, but before you had the chance to try and work it out he'd turned away again. "Close the door on your way out."

You bowed, even though he couldn't see, and took your leave quietly. The whole elevator ride back down to your own office, you could feel your heart hammering in your chest at the quiet promise he'd made.

Naraku had saved you from who knew what fate when he'd taken you under his wing all those years ago, and you would be lying if you said that even at the time you'd admired him. There was just something about him, a presence he possessed that could easily fill a room.

And fill your mind, if the way you couldn't stop thinking of him was anything to go by. But you couldn't really complain, as you plopped back into the chair behind your desk and pretended to work, because everyone had to have a savior, and you were content with the one you had found.

_No, don't  
>Leave me to die here,<br>Help me survive here.  
>Alone, don't surrender, surrender...<em>

You'd been shot before now, you were familiar with how the pain bloomed from the wound to whatever part of your body the punk who'd been pulling the trigger had been lucky enough to hit, you knew it would eventually get better, if you kept your breathing even and didn't give into the darkness rimming your eyes, but there was only so much you could do as the blood flowed through your fingers as you pressed against the wound ineffectually and _willed_ help to come quickly.

It should have been an easy mission, a simple scout-and-report that would just take an hour or so to complete, but then that punk Inuyasha and his gang had decided to pick today, _of all days_, to stage a coup and try to encroach on your family's patch.

And okay, yeah, you'd always secretly laughed at the runt for carrying a _sword_ in this day and age (because please, who did that anymore?), but you'd never doubted his girl's ability with a gun, and Kagome had gotten a lucky shot off while you'd tried to run for better cover.

It was a through-and-through, a blessing and a curse if you thought about it, close enough to the edge of your side to not lodge in your ribs, but deep enough to hurt like hell and bleed like a stuck pig. You whimpered softly, adding more pressure to the wound and shifting to tug at your jacket, ready to rip the thing to shreds if you needed to in order to patch yourself up and make it home.

Like _hell_ you were dying out here alone.

You nearly screamed when a warm hand landed over yours, and a voice whispered softly into your ear for you to keep still and keep breathing. "I will _not_ let that mutt take something of such value from me. Not this time." Naraku's hands pressed to the wound, the pressure making a noise you weren't proud of slip past your lips before you could stop it.

It hurt, the throbbing in your side and the cold cement under you offering no comfort for your weary bones. All you wanted to do was sleep, despite the continued whispered order in your ear that forbade you from even closing your eyes, and you bit hard on the tip of your tongue to keep yourself conscious.

When he moved you, you screamed, because you hadn't been expecting it and the sudden change of position caught you in a blindside of pain that tore through you, putting every nerve on high alert as he settled you into his lap and held you more tightly. "I thought I told you," he hissed against your temple, his voice searing into your mind, "_do not_ fall asleep."

"Y-yes, sir." You panted out, trying to keep your eyes open and focused despite how hard you were struggling to do that on top of the constant reminder you kept sending your lungs when they felt like they might stop dragging in air.

"I suppose," he mused after another moment of painful silence, "given the fact that you are now bleeding all over my suit, you could call me by my name."

"N-Naraku…" You breathed, using the name like a lifeline to drag yourself back to awareness. "Don't leave me here alone."

The hand not occupied with holding you together at your side ran slowly through your hair, long fingers massaging your scalp almost absentmindedly. "I do not intend to."

_Oh  
>Fly over me evil angel.<br>Why can't I breathe evil angel...?_

When you awoke, it was with a start and a strangle cry for hands that were just out of reach and a voice that had lulled you back to the land of the living.

"Hush now," you snapped your head around when that same voice whispered to you in the darkness of the hospital room, "if you move too much you'll tear out your stitches."

Your heart skipped several beats and your breathing became more labored as you remembered what happened, the bullet to your side, the hands doing their best to hold all your blood inside the wound, the words spoken so softly you almost thought you had imagined them. "Naraku…?" Your voice was a tentative whisper in the dim room, but the almost-smile you received as answer told that he had heard you.

"You're lucky; the damage should be gone in practically no time." His fingers lingered against your side for longer than strictly necessary, as though he were trying to reassure himself that you were alright. "They assure me that you will be back to your old job soon."

There was warmth in his tone, more than you'd been expecting, and you let him guide you back into the bed without any resistance. "Do you make a habit of visiting your employees when they end up in the hospital, or am I a special case?"

"I would have been remiss in my duties as head of the family if I let you go alone into a car full of strangers, ambulance or otherwise." His tone indicated this should have been obvious, even if you had just recovered from an injury severe enough to land you in the hospital. "I was merely ensuring nothing untoward happened to my favorite Assistant Director."

Your heart decided to make a break for it through your ribcage, as though you hadn't bled enough for one day, and you couldn't look at him as heat flooded your cheeks and you found it hard to breathe.

He stood then, adjusting his tie, and you noticed the rust red stain that covered a good portion of his suit. He hadn't changed since he'd found you in that alley, a testament to how worried he'd actually been. "Do try to rest, won't you?" He asked with an arched eyebrow, as though you might dare to say no. "I can't have you exhausted when you come back to work… It just wouldn't do." His eyes danced again with that emotion you'd caught before, and as he bent and pressed a light kiss to the top of your head, you could feel the grin on his lips.

Suddenly, you realized you were having trouble getting air into your lungs again, but this time for a completely different reason.

_Put me to sleep evil angel.  
>Open your wings evil angel…<br>_

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><p><em>I don't know why the idea of Naraku as a gang-boss made sense to me at the time, but I have to admit I love it. XD<br>_

_You can blame the song/character combo on _Methodical Madness_, as is often the case. X3_

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><p><em>The song <em>"Evil Angel" _belongs to: _Breaking Benjamin

Inuyasha and its related characters _belong to: _Rumiko Takahashi


	47. Lil Red Riding Hood

_This just popped into my head, and for whatever reason, I couldn't say no to the idea. XD_

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><p><strong><em>Summary<em>**: **_-AU-_**When he'd first laid eyes on you, it had been at the haunted house that you'd both volunteered for during the week leading up to Halloween, and you showed up wearing what he deemed was the classiest Little Red Riding Hood costume he'd ever seen.

**_Pairing:_**human!Pluto/Reader

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><p><em>Hey there Little Red Riding Hood<br>You sure are looking good  
>You're everything a big bad wolf could want.<br>Little Red Riding Hood  
>I don't think little big girls should<br>Go walking in these spooky old woods alone..._

When he'd first laid eyes on you, it had been at the haunted house that you'd both volunteered for during the week leading up to Halloween. As part of the rules for working there, you had to wear a costume to the House every night, and you showed up wearing what he deemed was the classiest Little Red Riding Hood costume he'd ever seen.

The hood was made from actual velvet, and the dress wasn't trashy, but more medieval and stylish than he'd seen in a long time. It was brown and white with leather accents, and he would swear up and down that he hadn't been staring at your figure, per say, he'd been admiring the quality of your costume. And that was the story he would stick to for the rest of his life.

Of course, he wasn't the only one to notice you, the House was big and there were a lot of volunteers who'd offered to help out because they could, and you got looked at more than strictly made him comfortable. Which was ridiculous, really, he didn't even know your name let alone your relational status, but there was something in the way the other boys looked at you, like they wanted to just eat you, that made a growl form in the back of his throat and his hair stand on end.

And yeah, okay, that was probably a little weird for a guy to do when he didn't know a girl, but he couldn't help it. He'd always been protective of the other kids in the orphanage where he'd grown up, and even after he'd left he'd formed attachments quickly. It was something Sebastian gave him hell for every time the older man got the chance, but it wasn't Pluto's fault he was so loyal. He just liked knowing people were safe.

And, if the looks the other boys were sending you were any indication, you most certainly were _not_ safe.

He practiced his speech three times in the bathroom mirror before he finally slipped over to you at the end of the shift the two of you shared and whispered his proposition into your ear. "Look, I know this is sudden, but could I walk you home? I don't think you should be going anywhere this late at night alone."

You'd raised your eyebrows at him, amused, but accepted all the same. The two of you had talked a little during your breaks, and you'd heard about him from both Sebastian and Ciel and knew he wasn't the type to try anything. Besides, he was adorable with the grey ears perched atop his head and the studded leather collar hanging loosely around his neck.

"So do you really think I shouldn't be allowed anywhere alone at night, or were you just trying to get me on my own?" You asked once you'd gotten out of sight of the House, and the blush that question earned you was so worth the awkward silence that followed.

"I, ah," he floundered for a moment, trying to figure out how to word what it was that he wanted to say, "I just wanted to be sure you made it home in one piece."

You laughed at that, genuinely touched by the sentiment, and looped your arm through his with a smile. "Well I'll admit it is nice to have my own personal Big Bad Wolf to keep all the others at bay."

He swallowed down his embarrassment over that particular sentiment and instead kept his eyes straight ahead and his hands completely to himself. Instead, he listened to the occasional directions you gave to lead you both safely back to your grandmother's house (and if that wasn't some sort of ironic he had no idea what was), and the October wind whispering in the trees.

He did not, in any way, listen to the wolf in his head screaming at him to eat you whole because really, you were the tastiest little morsel he'd ever seen.

_What big eyes you have  
>The kind of eyes that drive wolves mad<br>So just to see that you don't get chased  
>I think I ought to walk with you for a ways.<br>What full lips you have  
>They're sure to lure someone bad<br>So until you get to grandma's place  
>I think you ought to walk with me and be safe...<em>

After that first night, it became a routine for Pluto to wait until your shift was over and then walk you home. And he ignored the comments and wolf-whistles that were thrown your way when you slipped off down the street together, because the gossip was well worth the time in your company and the knowledge that you were always getting home safe.

It helped, of course, that you encouraged your escort as often as possible and had your grandmother bake cookies on a regular basis so that he would feel as welcome in the house as possible, and he often stayed for an hour or more just talking with you before he walked home himself.

And, naturally, he didn't mention to you or anyone else the way he noticed your eyes and the way they shone when they looked up at him in the moonlight, or how your lips curved up so perfectly when you smiled, or how mesmerizing your mouth was when you spoke, no matter how mundane the words might be that you were saying.

It was legitimately hard for him to focus on work some nights when he heard you laugh from across the room, or saw you glance his way and smile. He had to keep his head bowed and his mind on the task at hand, and he was sure that if the tail hanging from his belt had been real, it would have been wagging a mile a minute whenever you so much as looked his way.

And if he growled at the boys who looked at you too long or whispered rude things behind your back, well… That was just his naturally protective tendencies coming out, and shouldn't be read into at all.

Even if Sebastian did give him significant looks from time to time and smile that secretive little smirk of his that told _volumes_ of how amused he was at the situation at hand.

Pluto tried to ignore it, but that was nigh on impossible with the way the older man watched the two of you like a hawk, especially when you weren't out in the House showing guests into the entrance or helping with the activities on the other side of the trail that wound through the mansion.

The worst, however, was probably your own grandmother, who found it necessary to give you both significant looks at every opportunity and wink suggestively whenever Pluto set foot in your house, even if he just stood in the doorway long enough to say goodnight.

But, despite all the teasing and tense moments when your hands brushed as you both reached for the same thing, he decided he wouldn't have traded any of it for the world, because he loved spending time with you.

And not just because you were the cutest Lil Red he'd seen in his entire life.

_I'm gonna keep my sheep suit on  
>Until I'm sure that you've been shown<br>That I can be trusted walking with you alone.  
>Little Red Riding Hood<br>I'd like to hold you if I could  
>But you might think I'm a big bad wolf so I won't...<em>

It was halfway through the week when you slid your hand down into his and entwined your fingers together. And he tried to ignore the change, tried to shove the side of him down that started to howl with excitement at the simple gesture, but it was hard to ignored the gentle squeeze you gave his hand whenever you directed him through the streets, and the pause in drawing your hand away from his when you finally reached your front door.

It was harder still to quell the voice in his head when you realized your grandmother wasn't home, and you turned to look at him with something in your eyes he didn't trust himself to identify. "I should, ah, be getting home." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards the door, feeling more awkward by the moment as he stood in your entrance way and _willed_ for you to just let him go before you both did something you regretted.

Not that he would ever regret anything that involved you, but that was the funny thing about hindsight; it was always the wiser.

"Yeah, right, you should…" You trailed off, looking at the ground, and he wished you'd just smile and tell him goodnight so he could leave and not feel like he was abandoning you to the night like some complete jerk.

"Do you want me to stay till your grandmother gets home?" He offered softly, feeling his cheeks redden just at the suggestion. "I know you don't like being alone."

The way your eyes lit up was answer enough, but then you nodded and he felt relief wash over him. "That would be great. You sure you don't mind?"

He shook his head, moving further into the house and closing the door behind him. "I don't mind at all… But, ah, could we watch something? Time always seems to pass faster when you have something to do."

That _something_ flashed in your eyes for a moment as you moved into the kitchen again, but then you smiled and nodded. "Sure, go ahead and pick something out."

And he did, dutifully choosing a film from your collection and sliding it smoothly into the player before he sat on the couch next to you (close enough to you to hear your occasional comments as you watched, but not close enough to give himself any ideas), and watched the film start.

By the time your grandmother got back, you were asleep in your room, and he swore up and down to the elder woman that you had gotten there yourself and he'd stayed downstairs the entire time.

She looked a bit too gleeful at the prospect that he'd carried you upstairs, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know how she'd react if she found out that was exactly what had happened.

_What a big heart I have- the better to love you with  
>Little Red Riding Hood<br>Even bad wolves can be good  
>I'll try to be satisfied just to walk close by your side<br>Maybe you'll see things my way before we get to grandma's place..._

After the incident with the empty house, Pluto was even more careful about what happened between the two of you. There was no denying his affection towards you, not now, but that didn't mean he wanted the whole world to know he was seconds from staking a claim on you that couldn't be denied.

Although he did make a show of glaring every boy who looked at you for longer than ten seconds into submission, he didn't do anything more drastic, and he wasn't planning to. He could take things as slowly as you wanted to, as far as he was concerned, and that was simply all there was to that.

He'd seen enough relationships fall apart because one party got pushy, he didn't want to be the one to wreck whatever it was that you two had now, so he kept you close but kept his mouth shut.

At least he did, until the night you tugged him into the break room and into the tightest hug he'd ever had the pleasure to be subjected to. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" He stroked the back of your head as you hid your face in his shoulder, and you shivered as his fake claws scraped gently against your scalp.

"Bard got drunk, I think," you mumbled into his shirt, "he, well…"

You didn't have to finish the end of your sentence for Pluto to know exactly what you meant, and he felt the hair on the back of his neck start to rise as he growled softly. "You want me to do something about it?" He asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

You quickly shook your head. Bard was a nice guy when he was sober, and there was no way he ever would have laid a finger on you if he'd had his wits about him. Besides, he'd get enough of a beating at the hands of Sebastian when the brunette found out that you didn't think it fair to inflict Pluto's wrath on the blond as well. "No, no, it's fine, just… Can you walk me home?"

He glanced at the clock. You still had ten minutes on your shift, but it was slow tonight and you didn't think that your boss would be too mad if you slipped out a little early. Besides, if they asked, he was sure he could come up with a convincing story to explain your behavior. "Of course, come on." He kept one arm around your shoulders as he led you out the back way and off down the street, keeping you as close as possible as you walked along.

At first it was a little awkward, the two of you struggling to find a rhythm that didn't instantly throw you into each other with every step, but eventually you figured it out and fell into step next to each other. He started up an innocuous conversation that had nothing to do with what had just happened, and you quickly joined in, happy to have a distraction as you walked.

Eventually, of course, you ended up on your doorstep and the lack of lights in the window told that your grandmother was still out somewhere and probably wouldn't be home for a while. He was ready to either slip inside and watch another movie to cheer you up or get out of your hair, whichever you preferred, but then you stretched up and kissed him, and every rational thought he'd had promptly skipped town out of his brain.

"Stay." You whispered once you'd pulled away, and he could practically _feel _the word as you breathed it against his lips. You grinned up at him and winked as he nodded obediently. "Good boy."

_Hey there Little Red Riding Hood  
>You sure are looking good<br>You're everything that a big bad wolf could want..._

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><p><em>The song <em>"Lil' Red Riding Hood" _belongs to: _Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	48. No Light, No Light

_Written partially while camped out in the school library, paranoidly looking over my shoulders lest someone try to read what I was writing. XD  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**There was one boy in blue, though; you thought you might like to be caught by... Just once.

**_Pairing:_**Satoshi Hiwatari/Reader

* * *

><p><em>No light, no light in your bright blue eyes<br>I never knew daylight could be so violent  
>A revelation in the light of day<br>You can't choose what stays and what fades away..._

There was always a fine line, you thought, between what was right and what was legal, and you more often than not found yourself on the more gray side of that rather badly-drawn line. It was never malicious, what you did, but there were certainly a good number of people (who all wore blue uniforms and carried badges of a certain kind), that disagreed with what you did. And you couldn't really blame them, after all they were just trying to do their job, just as you were trying to do yours, and you'd never want them to go against orders just to accommodate little old you.

And sure, alright, most of them didn't know that they were "_going against you_", so-to-speak, but that was mostly due to incompetence on their part more than any amount of finagling on yours. So when you slipped into a house, the way you were meant to at this time of night while the owners weren't home, and they never knew until after the fact, well… That was hardly your fault, now was it?

After all, if you couldn't begrudge them doing their jobs, how could they begrudge you doing yours? You were a thief, and an exceedingly good one at that, so it hardly seemed fair for them to ask you to stop just because you were on the other side of that said same line than they were. It wasn't like you were injuring people, or ransoming trophy wives at knifepoint, so where was the problem?

You were, for lack of a better term, an honest criminal.

You only took what you needed to get by, and never took from those that couldn't afford it, so it hardly seemed right for them to demand you turn yourself in when the people you… ah… _liberated_ your livelihood from the real criminals. Unfortunately, those brave boys in blue didn't like seeing things from your point of view, so you had to keep out of their dubious clutches for as long as possible… Easier said than done when all you really wanted was to drop down in front of them just to see how they'd react.

You were good, but you weren't _that _good. And you certainly weren't that reckless.

_You are the hole in my head  
>You are the space in my bed<br>You are the silence in between  
>What I thought and what I said.<br>You are the night time fear  
>You are the morning when it's clear<br>When it's over you'll start  
>You're my head<br>You're my heart..._

Some of those same boys in blue, though, weren't so bad. And you would have sworn on more than one occasion that they'd spotted you and chosen to look the other way just so you could slip off into the shadows once more. There was one in particular, though; that you thought you might like to be caught by… Just once.

Commander Hiwatari, however cold he might appear to his subordinates, made the thrill of being caught that much more exciting. And there weren't many people on the planet that could make you feel even better about stealing from the rich and pompous, but he certainly could.

It was unorthodox, to be sure, but you couldn't help it. You'd see him giving his troops orders and your skin would prickle pleasantly and your heart-rate would increase to a full-on gallop in your chest, the hammering loud enough you were sure he'd hear you as you sat perched up in the rafters and waited.

But you almost wished he _would_ notice. For those steely eyes to look into the shadows where you lingered and see you there, for that voice to call out and tell you to stop hiding, because you couldn't escape him.

And that thought nearly sent you tumbling off the side of a building, because for an instant you _saw that happening_, and your fingers went lax against the window sill for a fraction of a second, and if it hadn't been for the sudden lurch in your stomach that jarred you back to reality, you would have been reduced to a thief-shaped splat on the ground several stories below.

It wasn't fair, you decided, for the Commissioner's son to be so darn attractive, with the silvery hair and the sly smile and the _eyes_ that could look right through you. And then he'd speak, and you had trouble remembering why you'd even been here in the first place, despite the weight against your hip that clearly stated you'd gotten the loot and now needed to get the hell out of Dodge.

But he was, and you had noticed, and now you knew you were completely _doomed_.

_Through the crowd, I was crying out  
>And in your place there were a thousand other faces<br>I was disappearing in plain sight  
>Heaven help me, I need to make it right...<em>

When you had decided to take on the Hiwatari house as a personal challenge, you hadn't been thinking clearly. You'd decided at roughly four in the morning when you'd flopped face-down onto your bed after being chased all across town by Satoshi's minions; and you were understandably bitter over the ordeal. So, in retaliation, you'd marked his house as the next one to get hit. You even went so far as to tell him that you were planning the attack, just to give yourself that extra challenge, but that hadn't even been the worst of it.

When you woke up the next morning and turned on the news, there stood Commander Hiwatari with his sly smile oozing charm towards the TV camera as he calmly announced that the challenge had been accepted, and he looked forward to your attempt to rob him of something.

You had been two seconds away from calling the whole thing off until you heard the word _attempt_.

That had just been insulting.

So, instead of giving up, you did the only logical thing and started making plans to break into the unbreakable and steal something that even Satoshi Hiwatari, boy genius and Police Commander could not deny had gone missing and actually _meant something_ to him.

Easier said than done.

And in the end, when you were cackling to yourself over your brilliant plan and readying for the day ahead, you'd hit upon the thought of what to steal completely by accident. You'd been walking through the park and seen a cute couple rush into each other's arms, and suddenly it was like a light bulb had gone off over your head.

And why not, you reasoned, Satoshi was clearly far too uptight for his own good, so it might do him a world of good to have something not-so-material taken from him.

The fact that you would undoubtedly enjoy yourself to no end was merely a coincidence, and clearly hadn't influenced your choice in _any way_.

Obviously.

It wasn't until you were hovering over the bed, Satoshi's face a broken mask of emotion as his chest rose and fell in slightly uneven breaths that you realized how much you wanted this, how much you'd wanted to see him without all the walls and guards and protections in place. How much you'd wanted to see the _boy _part of the _boy genius_.

And when you lightly pressed your lips to his, slipping his glasses into the satchel at your side, there was undeniable pleasure in feeling him sigh into the kiss, and even press back unconsciously, before he started awake and sat up in time to see you leaping gracefully out the window, a giggle barely audible in the dark room.

The next morning, Satoshi made an announcement to the press, a new pair of glasses perched on his nose, and claimed that you simply hadn't shown up, forget actually taken anything.

You would have been insulted if he hadn't looked right into the camera and smirked, offering his assurances that you would be caught, and he would be the one to do it.

Your blush hadn't faded until _much_ later in the day.

_Would you leave me,  
>If I told you what I've done?<br>And would you need me,  
>If I told you what I've become?<br>'cause it's so easy,  
>To say it to a crowd<br>But it's so hard, my love,  
>To say it to you out loud...<em>

When the invitation to the annual Policeman's Ball appeared in your mailbox, you assumed it was some sort of joke, because seriously, there was just no way. But it was official, with the real seal and all the proper documentation attached, so this was an honest-to-goodness invitation, and you laughed all through breakfast and decided that, yeah, you were totally going to go.

The best part? It was a masquerade ball.

So not only would you be flirting with fate, you'd be doing it in a room full of people who wanted your head, while wearing your very own mask from home.

Life couldn't get much better than that, you decided.

So, on the night of the ball, you got yourself together and left at a prompt time, arriving fashionably late, and nearly broke your neck walking up the steps when you saw who was standing at the top of them.

Satoshi, complete with a pearly white mask trimmed in icy blue, was perched just outside the door, watching everyone who went in. Undoubtedly he was there at the door just for the start of the ball, and would enter the large, warmly lit room once the ball actually began, but the way he watched you move up the steps, as though he were looking through you and into your mind, unnerved you more than you would have ever admitted.

Once you were inside, milling through the crowd, it was much easier to cope with the copious amounts of law enforcement who were jamming up the place, all of them dressed alike, although not identical by any means, It crept under your skin, the way they watched you move through the room, as though they already knew exactly who you were but were biding their time anyway.

And that just got worse when the music started, and your hand was caught by one in a white glove, and you were taken out onto the floor with a grand sweep before you were held securely against a firm chest and bright eyes smiled down at you. "Hello, my little thief."

The mask you were wearing thankfully hid your blush at those words, but you felt your heart begin to pound and wondered how he couldn't feel it, pressed as close as he was. "Hello." You managed in return.

"I thought it was you, when I saw you walk in… You have a grace to you many of the other ladies here lack. The grace of someone used to gliding through the shadows."

"Speaking of grace," you quickly tried to change the subject, lest your mask melt from the heat of your cheeks, "why haven't you raised the alarm yet?"

"Now, what would that accomplish?" He asked with a slight frown, guiding you into a turn across the floor. "I haven't gotten what you stole from me back yet."

You opened your mouth, ready to protest about the glasses and point out that he already had a new pair, but a set of warm lips colliding gently with yours promptly put the pilfered spectacles right out of your mind. You squeaked a bit in surprise, which earned you a rich chuckle from the Commander, and when he pulled back the smile from his eyes had managed to migrate all the way down to his lips as well. "I believe we are even now… Don't you?"

"Well I do still have your glasses." You pointed out a little breathlessly, at a loss for what else to say. "But you have my heart, so perhaps it's fair." He stared at you, actually missing a step in the dance as that confession fully sank in, and you realized a split second too late you'd just said that out loud. "Ahh…"

"A heart for a heart, then," he whispered as he took you into another turn and then slowed with the music to a stop, "but we will have to find suitable compensation for the glasses." He bowed deeply over your hand, pressing a kiss lightly to your knuckles before he straightened, offered you a wink, and walked towards the podium and the microphone that was waiting there for him.

Your heart started to pound right before it stopped working all together as his lips parted and he leaned in close, ready to begin his speech. This was it, you realized, he was going to tell them you were there and it would all be over. No more midnight flights through windows, no more playing with the handsome Commander, no more anything…

Except, that wasn't what happened.

"I would like to thank you all for coming this evening," he began cordially, "and would request that you do please enjoy yourselves this evening. That is the point of this after all, is it not?" He toasted the crowd with a glass he'd snatched on the way up to the stand, and they toasted him back before he slipped from above their heads and returned to their side.

"You didn't turn me in." You were stating the obvious, you knew, but that wasn't important. What was important was the fact that he could have been done with you then and there but he'd kept quiet.

"As I said before, that would achieve nothing." He deposited his glass on the tray of a passing waiter and took your hand again. "I do believe I would miss the chance more than I would enjoy the capture." He chuckled at the way your eyes widened, and led you into another dance. "At least of one kind, at any rate."

_That _blush didn't go away until long after the ball had ended, and you were headed home beside the man you'd managed to fall so completely for. And then he walked you up to your door and managed to make you blush for a different reason entirely.

_You want a revelation,  
>You wanna get it right<br>But, it's a conversation,  
>I just can't have tonight<br>You want a revelation, some kind of resolution  
>Tell me what you want me to say…<em>

* * *

><p><em>I've had this one planned for a while, I just hadn't gotten around to it yet... X)<br>_

_Happy Late Valentines, and please accept this as my present to all of you out there who still diligently read this far.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The song<em> "No Light, No Light" _belongs to: _Florence and the Machine

DNAngel and its related characters _belong to:_ Yukiru Sugisaki


	49. Star Song

_I managed to write this in roughly half an hour, all the while watching my computer battery get closer and closer to the "critical limit" line. XD_

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><p><strong><em>Summary: -AU-<em>**The day you walked into class, he couldn't take his eyes off you. It was less to do with the fact that you were cute, because you _were_, and more to do with the fact that you were a new transfer too, and he wanted more than anything to make you feel like you belonged.

**_Pairing:_**Finnian/Reader

* * *

><p><em>You're a star the way you are<br>You know you're not fooling anyone; no  
>You got the eyes of an angel<br>No matter what they tell you you're beautiful the way you are..._

When Finny had transferred schools, he'd been a bit nervous about the whole thing. He was shy, although bubbly, and tended not to make friends easily. Really all he wanted was somewhere quiet he could try to fit in and make friends and work on his grades.

What he got was Phantomhive academy, a place where everyone was just a little… _off_. And not always in the bad ways, but certainly not in any ways Finny had ever seen in his lifetime. He was uncomfortable enough as it was in his own skin; he didn't need other people trying to make him one of them to do that, so instead of conforming, Finny took the whole ordeal in stride and decided that he didn't care what other people thought. He was going to do what he wanted and try to be nice at the same time.

And it worked, for the most part, he started to fit in with a certain crowd, and the day you walked into class, he couldn't take his eyes off you. It was less to do with the fact that you were cute, because you _were_, and more to do with the fact that you were a new transfer too, and he wanted more than anything to make you feel like you belonged.

It had started with small things, like walking you to your locker and helping you with your books, and slowly escalated to always sitting next to each other in the classes you shared and having lunch together up on the school's roof where you could get away from the rest of the kids who hadn't figured out how to be nice yet.

You were different too, in your own way, but Finny liked you and the two of you got along quite well. You stopped being cute and started being beautiful because he could see the you that you hid behind your bangs and your band-T's, and you didn't take flak from anyone, even the teachers. You stood up for yourself, and he admired that about you. Eventually you came out of your shells enough to start mixing with the other kids at the school too, and he was so proud that you'd both learned to make friends that he didn't even realize it meant not spending as much time together, just the two of you.

And when you started dating Bard, the local would-be bad-boy, Finny smiled and congratulated you along with the others, even though he wished things were different.

_You got your tongue pierced once  
>And you say you got another<br>That you can't show anyone unless it's under covers  
>But you're running around showing everyone your new tattoo.<br>You got an A in class and you hope no one would notice  
>You're the smartest kid in school and it makes you self-conscious<br>And your loser boyfriend's smoking out in the boy's room  
>I wish someone would tell you...<em>

The day you walked into school and cornered him over by your locker, he freaked out in the manliest way imaginable. You laughed softly and told him to chill out, because this wasn't like that. And then you stuck out your tongue and his face flushed red at the sight of the small little ball sitting snugly at the center of your tongue.

"You got it pierced?" His voice cracked a little on that last word, but you both ignored it.

"Yeah! And another…" You trailed off, winking at him. "But I can't show you that one.

He hadn't thought he could get any brighter red. "O-oh. Well then…"

"Oh, and I got this too!" You rolled up your sleeve and peeled away the bandages, showing off the ink on your arm. "Pretty cool, huh?" The rose sat on the center of your wrist, the thorny vines winging delicately around on either side, almost like a bracelet that had simply sunk into your skin, and Finny would have been lying if he didn't find it at least a little attractive.

"Y-yeah… It suits you." He smiled, looking you in the eye and plucking up the courage to say what he wanted to.

Before he got the chance, however, Bard put an arm around your shoulders and looked questioningly between your arm and Finny before he grinned. "I take it you like the tattoo, babe?" You nodded, grinning, and he pressed a kiss to your temple. "Good."

He led you away by the shoulders, waving to Finny over his shoulder, and as the green-eyed bow stood there and watched the two of you walk away, he played over what he'd been planning to say in his mind, just for future reference. _"Yeah, the rose suits you… Although you're more beautiful than any rose I've ever seen..."_ And he didn't care if Sebastian's eyebrows shot up his head when Finny asked if that was an okay thing to say to a girl, he'd thought it was pretty good.

It wasn't until later that same day that he got the chance to really compliment the tattoo, when he found you sitting on the roof alone looking out at the sunset. "Hey," he greeted, moving to sit beside you, "why the long face?"

"I got an A in Chemistry." You replied simply, shrugging when his eyebrows shot up his forehead at the news. "I feel weird about it."

"Why?" He asked, staring at you. "You're one of the smartest kids in school, why is an A so surprising?"

"It's not surprising," you admitted softly, "I just… I don't want to tell my mom, she'll get all silly like she always does when I get a good grade, like she's surprised or something. And Bard will tease me too, I just know it."

"Where is he, anyway?" Finny asked when he fully registered the blonde's absence from the balcony. "He doesn't usually let you out of his sight."

You chuckled softly. "I don't know why he won't smoke up here; he swears the bathroom is safer… I don't believe him." You drew your knees up to our chest, sighing softly. "Sorry, I'm not really myself today."

He smiled, willing you to cheer up even if just for a moment. "Don't worry about it. I can be myself enough for the both of us."

You laughed at that, an honest-to-God laugh that made Finny's pulse pick up and his eyes brighten. He loved that sound.

_And your mama's so happy you became a cheerleader  
>Homecoming queen just like your older sister<br>'til you died your hair pink and they said what were you drinkin  
>And it never did sink in<br>It don't matter what they think..._

You turned up on his doorstep unexpectedly one night, and he let you in as soon as he saw the tears in your eyes. "What happened?" He asked once you were curled up on the couch with a mug of cocoa in your hands. He knew for a fact it was hard to make you cry, and he didn't like to think of the possibilities behind the cause this time around.

"I got into a fight with my mom." You mumbled, frowning. "She was so happy when I got onto the cheer team, and then when she found out I was nominated for homecoming queen she was over the moon… But then…" You plucked at one of the strands of your vividly pink hair, a new addition to the rest of the natural color. "Then I came home with this and she freaked out. She'd already told me to break up with Bard, so when she flipped out over a little _temporary_ hair dye…" You sighed; looking into your mug like the bubbles on the top could tell you exactly what you needed to hear.

"I'm sorry." He managed, fighting down the different feelings in his chest. On the one hand it was terrible that your mother had thrown you out, and it was stupid for her to have done it over something as trivial as hair dye when you still had that rose tattoo, but he couldn't deny the flutter of hope in his chest at the thought that you and Bard weren't together anymore. He hated himself for it, but it was there all the same.

"Don't be," you mumbled around a swig of cocoa, "it was bound to happen sooner or later… I'm just glad the piercings will heal up." You offered him a shy smile before you fell into a comfortable silence, only broken now and then by your sips of cocoa. "Hey, Finny," you managed at last, looking up at him, "remember when I first showed you my tattoo?"

He nodded. "Yeah, how could I forget?"

You grinned. "Well, that day, you said it suited you… What did you mean?"

That hope that had been fluttering about in his chest turned into something very closely resembling reckless abandon, and he said the words before he could think to stop them. "The rose suits you because it takes a while for you to open up completely, but once you do you're even prettier than when you were closed up tight…" He flushed red, dipping his head to avoid your gaze as your eyes widened. "Although," he continued faintly, "you're more beautiful than any rose I've ever seen."

He wasn't expecting the press of your lips to his, but you didn't hold it against him as you chuckled and wrapped your arms around his shoulders, your mug deposited safely on the coffee table. "Well then, Finny, I don't feel quite so silly telling you you're sweeter than any candy I've ever tasted." You grinned at the way his eyes went wide as he looked up at you. "And I love you too."

His surprised expression finally changed, then, his gaze softening as his lips quirked up at the corners and his hands finally decided to land on your waist. "Glad to hear it." He mumbled softly. "For a while there I wasn't so sure."

"Well, you'll never have to doubt it again." You replied, pressing your forehead to his. "I'll be your rose now, and you can be the gardener for my heart."

He grinned at that, pressing a brief kiss to your cheek. "Well, you did always tell me I had a green thumb!"

You laughed.__

_You're a star the way you are  
>You know you're not fooling anyone, no<br>You got the eyes of an angel  
>No matter what they tell you you're beautiful the way you are...<em>

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><p><em>Annnnd now I have cavities. XD<br>_

__Also, no snide comments about it being AU. There was no way in hell I could have made this song work for a cannon setting and still use this character.__

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Star Song" _belongs to: _Bowling for Soup

Black Butler and its related characters _belong to: _Yana Toboso


	50. Til Kingdom Come

_Funny how I get more writing done the week_ after_ Spring Break than I did the week _of_ Spring Break. XD_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**This was not how you had planned to spend your afternoon, adorable boys being an unexpected bonus or otherwise, and frankly you'd rather be anywhere else at the with the way Kyouya was looking at you across the room.

**_Pairing:_**Kyouya Ootori/Reader

* * *

><p><em>The wheels just keep on turning,<br>The drummer begins to drum,  
>I don't know which way I'm going,<br>I don't know which way I've come..._

When Haruhi invited you to the Third Music Room that late Tuesday afternoon, you assumed she merely wanted to let you see around the school. You two were good friends, after all, even before she had started going to Ouran Academy, and it made sense for her to want to show off her school. She should be proud, you decided, since not many people of a, shall we say, more common lifestyle got into the illustrious school.

You were proud of her, obviously, and more than willing to let her show off her school to you whenever she got the chance.

But that wasn't the reason behind the visit to the Music Room, as you quickly discovered, but you weren't entirely sure what the purpose _was_, since introducing you to a room full of highly attractive young men was not the best thing for your health, as Haruhi was perfectly aware.

You stood in the doorway, aghast that she wouldn't _warn you_ before springing such a surprise on you, and simply stared at them.

You knew a few of them on sight, of course, Mori and Honey both knew your brothers; the twins had dealings with your mother and her business; but the other two… The other two you didn't know from previous meetings, but could guess their identities just from their reputation. Tamaki was, after all, the heartthrob of the school, and you would have been remiss in your friendly duties if you turned a deaf ear to some of the stories your friends told you about the handsome king. And the last…

"Haruhi," he smiled a smile that bordered on annoyed, "who is this?"

"Who cares who she is?" Tamaki countered, swooping over to take your hand in his. "She's a fair maiden who has wondered into our midst! We should welcome her to our humble abode, should we not?"

"Onee-chan!" Honey barreled into you, arms wrapped tight around your waist. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming by? We would have done something special!"

"Yeah," Hikaru spoke up with a smile, "we don't usually see you around here during the week."

You floundered for a reply, glancing between Tamaki (who seemed to be having a meltdown over his ruined greeting), Haruhi (who was trying to explain who you were and what you were doing to the Shadow King), and Hikaru. "I didn't know I _was_ coming by." You answered finally, sending Haruhi a significant look.

Honey laughed, grabbing your hand and tugging you further into the room. "Well you're here now! Let's have some fun!"

You followed along shyly, watching Haruhi from the corner of your eye and wondering just when all hell would break loose over your head. This was not how you had planned to spend your afternoon, adorable boys being an unexpected bonus or otherwise, and frankly you'd rather be anywhere else at the moment.

Especially with the way Kyouya was looking at you across the room.

_Steal my heart and hold my tongue  
>I feel my time, my time has come<br>Let me in, unlock the door  
>I've never felt this way before...<em>

That first visit to the Music Room proved to be the one event in your life that seemed to change absolutely everything else. You'd heard people talk about events that seemed to shape the rest of their lives, and honestly you'd never out much stock in it…

At least not till now.

From there on, everything snowballed, you switched schools, much to Haruhi and your brother's delight, you started taking classes you never thought you'd take, spent time in that said same Music Room more and more often, swearing up and down that you were there to support Haruhi and talk with Honey and Mori when they weren't busy, but you were fairly certain he saw through all of that.

Kyouya was sharp, not just smart, but really, honestly, quick witted, and it unnerved you when you looked at him and could _see_ the gears turning in his head and screaming that he'd just put two and two together and found out exactly what four stood for.

But it wasn't just that… Not really. There were other things too; things that you pretended didn't exist because it was _so_ much easier to just lie to yourself and the rest of the world instead of trying to sort out why the butterflies flooded your stomach when he smiled at you, or why chills raced up your spine when he said your name.

You shouldn't react like that, not to a boy you barely knew, but you couldn't help it. It was something in your bones, in your blood, that directed your thoughts and made you do such stupid, _stupid_ things.

Like walking all the way to school on a Saturday in the pouring rain.

In your defense, it had been an accident. Your brother had messed with your phone and the calendar told you it was Friday, even though it wasn't. And yes, you should have realized that you'd already lived through Friday, but it had been an exceedingly long week and your brain wasn't working right. So you had diligently walked to school only to find the place abandoned.

Except for a long figure in Music Room Three.

"K-Kyouya?" You'd hiccupped at the end, a completely pitiful sound, and couldn't fight away the shivers that your drenched dress elicited. He'd hardly even glanced up from his book and you realized you were probably interrupting. "I'm so sorry to bother you, I'll leave." You'd had your hand on the door handle when he spoke up.

"You really shouldn't walk home in this weather. Especially considering the state you're in."

His clinical tone had you feeling even colder than before. "You're probably right. But unfortunately I don't have a car or a change of uniform." You'd opened the door, completely determined to storm out and to hell with the consequences, but then he'd spoken again from right behind you and you found yourself incapable of anything that involved complex brain functions.

"Isn't it fortunate, then, that I can provide you with both?"

_Hold my head inside your hands;  
>I need someone who understands<br>I need someone, someone who hears,  
>For you, I've waited all these years...<em>

"You should really take better care of yourself." Kyouya was frowning at you in a way that told he was more annoyed with the circumstances than with you personally. "You might already be sick and don't even know it yet."

You hid your blush in your mug of coffee, reminding yourself that the Ootori family had an _army_ of doctors, and his hovering really shouldn't be a surprise. "I feel fine." Which was close to true, since you weren't about to start discussing the entire fleet of butterflies flitting about your stomach at the fact that you were wearing _his_ spare uniform. It was a bit too big, obviously, but you weren't about to complain about it.

He hummed in the back of his throat, a sound that did unhealthy things to your heart, and peered over the tops of his glasses at you. "You look flushed."

"Well that's hardly my fault, now is it?" The remark slipped out before you could think to stop it, and you quickly took another long swallow of coffee to help you pretend like it had never happened. With any luck, he wouldn't have heard you, and you could…

"Is that why you keep coming back here," he asked softly, "because of the scenery?" You choked on your coffee and he sent you a faint smirk. "I had my suspicions, but thank you for confirming them." He pushed his glasses further up his nose and turned to consult one of the wide windows on the far wall, inspecting the gunmetal clouds that still loomed overhead and poured out rain onto the school grounds. "Any one in particular, or do you like a more," he smirked, "_panoramic_ view?"

You stared into your mug, willing this whole thing to be a dream so you could wake up and laugh about how uncomfortable you suddenly felt. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. This wasn't how you told your crush that you liked them. There was supposed to be sappy background music and a long walk somewhere, or at the _very_ least a letter of some kind, but _this_, this was… "Only one." You managed after a long moment. "This one handsome dark-haired boy I know."

He hummed again, and you wondered if he even knew the damage that tiny sound did to you. "I must admit I'm a little surprised," he commented dryly, "I didn't think that was your type… But I suppose I can understand. He does have his merits, after all."

You were about to laugh and tease him, but then a thought struck you. Kyouya wouldn't talk about himself in the third person. You chanced a glance up at him and saw he pointedly wasn't looking at you. "Kyouya," you called softly, "who are you talking about?"

He blinked, apparently surprised, and looked at you. "Mori-sempai," he replied evenly, "who are you talking about?"

And for the first time, you looked at Kyouya as though he were stupid. "You."

His eyes widened marginally, his cheeks tinting the faintest shade of pink, and his mouth parted in complete shock. For an instant, you got to see him like that, completely caught off guard, and then he righted himself, mouth snapping shut and head snapping back around to direct his gaze towards the windows. "I see."

You grinned, the butterflies suddenly gone from your stomach. Maybe it was supposed to happen like this…

_In your tears and in your blood,  
>In your fire and in your flood,<br>I hear you laugh, I heard you sing,  
>"I wouldn't change a single thing."...<em>

It was… complicated, after that.

In private, Kyouya would hold your hand and give you those rare, genuine smiles, but when you were with the Host Club, or in classes, he went back to being the same stoic boy from before. It was difficult, to say the least, because you felt like you were somehow being cheated out of half the man you loved, and that didn't seem right to you.

It was like he could flip a switch and suddenly he was all smiles and sunshine, and then suddenly he'd be back to the all-work-no-fun Kyouya that the Twins moaned and complained about.

You didn't understand, and it hurt a little that you didn't seem to be worth his attention the entire time.

The first time he caught you crying, you'd pretended you were just stress over school and swore up and down that it would pass and you'd be fine… But then a week later it happened again, and he wouldn't take your answer a second time around. He held you close and stroked your hair, told you he'd listen, he'd understand, told you all the things you'd wanted to hear since this… _thing_ you two had had started, and it almost hurt more to hear it like this.

"What's with the attitudes?" You finally asked, hiding your face against his shoulder and pretending that you didn't notice when his hand stilled against the back of your head. "You're so sweet, like this, but you don't stay this way all the time. Is there something you're not telling me? Something I should know?"

He'd laughed softly, and you felt your heart sink. You should have seen it coming, shouldn't you? There was no way someone like Kyouya Ootori would fall for a girl like you.

"You need me like this," he whispered to you after a long moment of painful silence, "the sort caresses and gentle whispers. And I want to give it to you." He pressed a kiss to the crown of your head, holding you a little more tightly. "But the others, they need the level-headed me. The one who thinks of nothing but facts and figures, who needs nothing but numbers in his world in order to get by." He pulled away enough to look down at you, a frown marring his face. "I didn't realize how badly it affected you. I should have told you sooner."

You felt like such an idiot as you looked up at him. Of _course_ he had a reason for acting the way he did. Kyouya never did anything without a reason. Never acted needlessly. You managed a smile and leaned up to catch him by surprise with a kiss. "I wouldn't change a single thing."

He chuckled, a sound that rumbled through your bones and made your blood catch fire. "And neither would I."

_For you, I'd wait 'til kingdom come,  
>Until my days, my days are done<br>Say you'll come and set me free,  
>Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me...<em>

* * *

><p><em>It's been waaay too long between these characters. XD<br>I'll work on that._

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Til Kingdom Come" _belongs to:_ Coldplay

Ouran High School Host Club and its related characters _belong to: _Bisco Hatori


	51. Painted

_Character requested by: _The Phantom Of The Labyrinth  
><em>Song suggested by: <em>Methodical Madness

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary<em>**: He watched and waited and bided his time, scanning through hundreds, thousands of faces until he finally caught sight of one he liked the look of.

**_Pairing_**: Ryuk/Reader

**_Warning:_**Mentions of abuse.

* * *

><p><em>If I could find the time to speak<br>I'd try to find a thousand ways to prove you're wrong  
>Falling on my face<br>I'm chasing all the lines of your skin  
>And all your pirouette mistakes<br>So dance until you're brand new  
>Ignore the fight inside that scares you...<em>

He'd watched the world for such a long time; sometimes he wondered if perhaps he had seen all that humanity had to offer him. All the fun and chaos, all the love and laughter and constant monotony of life… But it beat the monotony of the existence he led in this realm, full of dust and decay and never quite as vibrant as the world he could sit and watch, so that's what he did.

He could laugh at the stupidity of humans, giggle along with school kids who pulled a particularly good prank, and sometimes even feel sad at a tragedy he witnessed. But all the emotions were so much better than what he'd had before, he couldn't bring himself to turn away from the view he had of the world.

He _missed it_, he realized. Missed the bustle of busy streets and watching the gears turn in his last human's head… It was so hard to be apart from it after living among them for so long, and honestly he wanted nothing more than to go back down there and drop his Death Note again, just to see what would happen.

First, though, he had to pick a person to haunt. No ordinary little insignificant human would do, not after all the fun he'd had with the last one, so this one would have to be someone special…

He watched and waited and bided his time, scanning through hundreds, thousands of faces until he finally caught sight of one he liked the look of.

You were so different from the last human he'd taken a shine too, but at the same time a little bit alike. You had spunk, something that made him grin even more widely than before, and he decided you'd do just nicely. He swore it was all about your personality and not about your appearance, although you _were_ cute too, and since when had he noticed human appearances anyway?

Regardless, he planned to pay you a visit, and he picked his time perfectly. He slipped through the shadows of your room while you were sleeping, looking you over closely and wondering what you might say if you could see him. It would be fun to spring his appearance on you, but you might scream, and he didn't want that. He wanted to be able to haunt your footsteps and watch the world through your eyes.

He wanted to be able to enjoy the world again, enjoy these little fleeting lifespans that humans had. He wanted to watch how your mind worked and laugh and cry along with you, wanted to be the devil that perched on your shoulder and whispered things into your ear in the dead of night.

He loomed over the bed and looked you over a little more closely; taking his time to be sure you were the one. You had problems; that he knew, your life was not as easy as the one he'd witnessed before, and he somehow found it comforting to know not everyone had it that easy. Not everyone could turn perfect circles and smile until their nightmares went away.

He had let fate decide the last human he made friends with, but this time he wanted the choice to be his own. He wanted to be sure that he got it right, that you would provide him with the entertainment he so desperately craved. That you would be worth his time and accept him once he finally showed himself to you.

And if not, well… What was the worst that could happen?

_Look before you end it all  
>Look before you shut your eyes<br>For the last time  
>There's no more room to go back down<br>Your picture trends in black and white  
>I will show you what it's like...<em>

That first week had thrown Ryuk for a loop.

He had entered into this knowing your life wasn't easy, but he hadn't known just how much until the next morning when you awoke and started to cry at the realization that you'd have to face another day. It confused him, how someone who had a life could wish it away, but then he saw the purple bruises across your skin and he knew then why you cried yourself to sleep so often.

You slipped out of the house before anyone could realize you were awake, and he floated along after you, suddenly wondering what he could do to change the numbers that hovered over your head.

Today was your day.

He spent the entire time you were in school wondering when it would happen and how. He didn't know which Shinigami had your name on the tip of his tongue, but he wasn't about to let you end so easily. He'd picked you a _reason_, and he wasn't about to let some low-life little weasel steal away his human. Not like this, anyway.

He hadn't been expecting suicide, at least not really, so when you stood at the top of the school and looked down, he actually felt something inside him go cold.

Humans were such selfish things, of that he was more than perfectly aware, but to take _your own life_? That was a whole new level of low.

So when you jumped, closing your eyes and simply letting go, pitching forward over the edge of the room and down towards the ground…

He caught you.

You stayed splayed on the ground with your eyes shut, staring unseeing up at the sky for another three minutes before you realized you still had a pulse and your eyes snapped open. Your mouth gaped, your eyes widened, and you started to whisper things he couldn't quite catch as you wondered _how_. It wasn't possible, as far as you knew, to jump that far and wind up unscathed, so _something_ must have happened. You sat up in the grass, looking highly confused and not a little disappointed, and picked yourself up and headed home.

Ryuk tried to hold in his grin as he followed you back along the route you'd taken that morning, but he couldn't keep it back. He would show you life could be better, show you the things you hadn't yet seen.

He would show you what life could _really_ be like.

_Let them say all that they want  
>I'll wipe away your painted wings<br>till your heroes come  
>If you doubt it looks so new<br>Then the venom in your eyes will control you..._

The nights you didn't cry yourself to sleep, you spent with your nose in a book or pouring over the mountains of homework that you were assigned every week. He liked those nights, sitting on the end of your bed just watching you work. Watching the way you chewed the end of your pencil while you tried to think of the right word for an answer, or how you stuck your tongue out at your math book when you couldn't get a problem to work out properly.

He liked _you_.

And there was nothing that hurt as much as seeing you stumble after you'd climbed so high, and spend another night hidden under your covers crying. He hated what life did to you, what you had no control over, and he hated that you didn't have a hero to help you through it. There was no knight in shining armor ready to swoop in and save the day, no one ready to step up and slay the dragon that tormented the princess…

There was no one there to save you.

No one except him, and he decided that it didn't matter what it did to his lifespan, he would look after you. He was invisible, but he could live with that.

It started with little things, like drawing smiley faces on the bathroom mirror once it was fogged up from the steam, or moving around the paper clips on your desk to spell out messages, and for the first time he got to hear you laugh. A real, honest-to-God laugh that made him chuckle a bit himself.

You assumed it was your little sister, of course, but eventually you realized there was something else going on. She denied any knowledge of it, and when she hinted that you had your own personal ghost, Ryuk could only laugh.

He'd been called worse, after all.

So you started talking to your "ghost", and he kept leaving little things around for you to find. And when he wasn't busy laughing about the things you'd say in response or how easily you accepted the presence of something _nonhuman_ in your life, he was laughing over how easily he could make you smile. How easily he could pretend to be your hero.

He decided, one night when you were actually sleeping with a smile on your face, that even if he didn't accomplish anything else, he would prove to you that you had wings. And they were much more than the painted things he'd drawn onto your mirror one morning before school. These wings would take you places, would make you _soar_.

_She whispers in his ear  
>Don't hurt me, don't forget me<br>Don't hurt me, I'm still not put back together..._

There were some nights, of course, that he wished he didn't have to see. Those nights were the worst, because he had seen _a lot_ in his lifetime, but the things you had to suffer through… Those were worse than all the others combined.

He decided that it was because _you_ had to live through them.

The shouts were one thing- he'd heard a lot of people scream over the years, but the whispering was so much worse. The harsh rasps that begged for forgiveness; that asked for lenience… They were so much more painful than the yelling was, because it took a certain amount of pain to reach the point where you could no longer be angry. It took a lot to have the fight leave you completely.

He'd seen it before, how easily humans could break when put under pressure, but he hadn't realized it could hurt this badly. He had _no idea_ how much it could ache to see you curl up with your head under the covers and ask for him to make it go away. How much it killed him to have to stand there and do nothing, because it wasn't within his power to. That wasn't his call, and even if it was, he had no idea what would happen if he intervened.

There were necessary evils, after all.

So instead he sat on the edge of your bed and made little things float through the air to a tune only you could hear, and you'd giggle at how childish he could be sometimes, but you never complained. You never rolled your eyes or asked him to stop. You simply pretended that the crashes coming from downstairs were symbols sounding in a grand orchestra, and that the screams were really the choir singing in a language you didn't understand but still found beautiful.

Those nights he was sure to never leave your side, just in case the fight found its way upstairs and you were in the crossfire. He might not be able to slay the dragons himself, but he could certainly keep them from finding the princess.

The day after, when the sun rose and you slinked down the stairs as quietly as you could so as not to wake anyone, he would slink right after you, wondering if maybe today you'd try the same stunt you had all those months ago when he'd first started this game and try to jump off another building.

But you never did.

Instead you pretended like it had never happened, like the fight had all been part of a terrible, terrible dream and it would all go away once you got through the day. He admired that about you, your dedication to keep your heart beating, and when he finally made his choice about what to do next, it seemed like the simplest thing in the world.

The little black notebook appeared on your desk the next day, and on your way to the bathroom you paused and looked at it. Such a curious object, you thought, peering at it more closely and reading the odd lettering across the front.

"Death Note…?" You blinked, reaching for it. "What's a Death Note?"

_I am right here and I'm waiting  
>I can see you but you can't see me...<em>

* * *

><p><em>I don't know why... But I love that ending. XD<br>_

_Hope it lived up to your expectations, Phantom!_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Painted"_ belongs to: _Evans Blue

Death Note and its related characters _belong to:_ Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata


	52. For Your Entertainment

_Character sorta-kinda requested by:_ Calloniel

_Song chosen by me, because I frankly just couldn't resist. XD_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>** The first time you'd caught sight of the white wings, it had been an accident. You'd only slipped into the old church to see if the pastor could give you some directions to the newest walled gardens on that side of town, and instead you'd found, well… Him.

**_Pairing: _ **Krad/Reader

* * *

><p><em>No escaping when I start<br>Once I'm in I own your heart  
>There's no way you'll ring the alarm<br>So hold on until it's over..._

The first time you'd caught sight of the white wings, it had been an accident. You'd only slipped into the old church to see if the pastor could give you some directions to the newest walled gardens on that side of town, and instead you'd found, well… _Him_.

Your whole body had frozen, your heart skipping a beat or two until it finally caught up with your rapidly firing brain and you made sense of the situation. There was an angel standing by the altar. Not some stain-glass marvel made from the most exquisite of colors, but an actual flesh-and-blood angel with long golden hair and the most glorious of wings.

"E-excuse me…?" You voiced tentatively, unsure of how you were meant to address what appeared to be a messenger from Up There. "Can you help me?"

His shoulders stiffened at the first word, white robes whispering over the stone floor as he slowly turned on his heel in order to look at you, those eyes drilling straight into your soul. "What do you want, girl?"

You suddenly understood why people sometimes described music as _heavenly_, because that was what his voice sounded like. "I… I'm lost." You admitted, deciding that lying to an angel would probably _not_ be the best idea.

A golden eyebrow was arched as he looked you over, eerie eyes dissecting you slowly as they took in your appearance. "And what makes you think I'd be able to help with that?"

You quelled the urge to squeal by clearing your throat instead. "Y-you're an angel, aren't you?" You asked, because there might not be many things that looked that good with wings, but you were pretty sure he had to be one of them, even if it wasn't the most obvious.

"Is that what you think?" He faced you fully, moving slowly along the main aisle of the church towards you, his steps slow and measured. "That I am some divine creature here to lead you back to the light?"

Well, you thought, he at least had the first part right. "Perhaps." You managed, your voice lowering to a whisper under his continued scrutiny. He was close enough now you could make out the different textures of his feathers and the weave of his robes, that tangle of golden hair almost close enough to touch. "Would I be wrong in that assumption?"

He tipped his head to one side, eyes sparking and grin positively feral. "_Very_ wrong."

_So hot  
>Out the box<br>Can you pick up the pace?  
>Turn it up,<br>Heat it up  
>I need to be entertained<br>Push the limit  
>Are you with it?<br>Baby, don't be afraid  
>I'm a hurt 'ya real good, baby...<em>

From then on it had been… _Wild_.

You'd come home from school and find him waiting for you, leaning against a wall of your room like it was the most common thing in the world, his eyebrows raised expectantly and his head tilted to one side like _he_ was the one surprised to see _you_. He'd scoop you up and fly you off somewhere, the first nights terrifying as you were buffeted by cold winds (and even rain on one occasion), but then he chuckle, and you'd feel it rumble like thunder in your bones, and you somehow didn't mind his rather unorthodox approach.

He'd whisper things in your ear that had your cheeks flushing red, or would simply sit with you in his lap and look out over the landscape, simply taking in the view. Whatever you did, he always dutifully had you back home by midnight, always teasing that you about the curfew you'd insisted upon the first time he'd snatched you up from your room.

"I don't see why you make such a fuss…" He muttered as he set you back on the balcony of your room one night when you'd only just made it home in time. "You're already a little mouse, so what could possibly happen if you aren't home by midnight?"

The comment had earned him a smack to the arm from your hand (something that made him actually laugh), and landed you with the sudden impression of being his prey.

He had the eyes of a hawk, after all, so it only made sense that you were the mouse he was trying to devour…

And somehow, as you slipped back into your room and shoved the thought of his teeth against your skin out of your mind, you weren't _entirely_ repulsed by the idea.

_Let's go  
>It's my show<br>Baby, do what I say  
>Don't trip off the glitz<br>That I'm gonna display  
>I told ya<br>I'm a hold ya down until you're amazed  
>Give it to ya 'til you're screaming my name...<em>

The frequency of Krad's visits merely increased over the next several weeks, until it became a near-nightly occurrence for him to be waiting for you when you got home, or slipping into your room after you'd already gone to bed and waking you just so he could carry you off somewhere.

The touching got more frequent too, slowly at first and then quickly becoming a more recurrent, almost casual action. And at first, you didn't mind. It was nice to have his arms around your waist of his lips against your shoulder, and when he was more affectionate, nibbling the ridge of your ear to add fire to the words he whispered there, you would squirm and shiver and try to wriggle out of his grasp.

And that, of course, merely encouraged him further.

It was all fun and games till the night you tried to get away from him and managed to fall off the edge of the roof you two were perched on, eyes widening as gravity went to work and you tumbled off the side without warning. You gasped, reaching out for him, but he merely stood there and watched, an eyebrow arching expectantly as you began hurtling towards the ground below.

"_Krad!_" You screamed his name, squeezing your eyes shut as you hoped he would rethink his apparent indifference, the wind shoving you around like a frail little leaf as you continued your descent.

The arms that caught you were like iron under your back and legs, his voice steel as it hissed against your ear. "_Don't_ hesitate like that again…" You peeked up shyly into molten gold eyes and felt a shiver dance along your spine at the expression you saw there. "But maybe I'll forgive you," he mused with a sharp smile, "since you did scream my name so sweetly." Your cheeks flooded with color and you tried to hide it by turning away from him, but he didn't let you. He shifted you around so fast you hardly noticed you were chest-to-chest with him until he grinned again, the arm not supporting you grabbing your chin and forcing your eyes to meet his. "I think I'd like to hear it more often, actually… Let's see if we can't make it a bit more fun this time, shall we?"

_Oh, do you know what you got into?  
>Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?<br>Cause it's about to get rough for you  
>I'm here for your entertainment.<br>Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet  
>'Ya thought an angel swept you off ya feet<br>But I'm about to turn up the heat  
>I'm here for your entertainment...<em>

If you'd thought it was wild before, it was nothing compared to what came next.

The visits stopped involving him dragging you off somewhere and instead involved him pressing you against the nearest surface and doing his best to make your head spin from lack of oxygen. Greedy lips found all the places along your neck that made you shiver and sigh, inquisitive fingers searching out all the tiny little spots along your skin that could made you press closer or try to run away, his eyes brightening no matter which method you tried.

The chase was half the fun for him, and he loved it when you tried to escape him, because you never really could. He'd gotten under your skin and no matter what you did you couldn't get him out again. He was in your mind, in your _soul_, and there was no way to wash him off your skin.

He didn't even have to be there to drive you mad, either, it could be a glimpse of golden hair or a laugh that sounded like his, a rustling like wings or the soft brush of silken fabric against your skin. The simple _memory_ of him was enough to make you struggle to pay attention in class, and no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't do anything about it. He simply refused to leave you alone.

And when it wasn't just at school, and you were back in your room trying to keep your mind on homework despite his fingers dancing higher up your leg, it was even harder, because then it wasn't just memories of what he _had_ said, it was all the things he _did_ say, all new and previously unheard. It was the spark in his eyes when he finally decided enough was enough and took your textbook from you, depositing himself into your lap instead. It was the ways his fingers tangled in your hair as he tugged your head back and set that tongue of his to a different task entirely than simply whispering things against the shell of your ear.

And you could never refuse, because ever since that first moment when you'd seen him in the church you'd known you'd never be able to refuse him… Not really.

And you _really_ didn't mind.

_It's alright  
>You'll be fine<br>Baby, I'm in control  
>Take the pain<br>Take the pleasure  
>I'm the master of both<br>Close your eyes  
>Not your mind<br>Let me into your soul  
>I'm a work it 'til you're totally blown...<em>

* * *

><p><em>The song<em> "For Your Entertainment" _belongs to: _Adam Lambert

DNAngel and its related characters _belong to:_ Yukiru Sugisaki


	53. Somebody's Heartbreak

_Song contributed to the cause by: _Methodical Madness

_I'm the one to be blamed for taking it and running with it like a madwoman through the streets of Shibusen. XD_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>** It was silly, really, for him to trip over himself the moment he saw a pretty woman (although, he decided later, pretty was far too simple a word to describe how attractive you were), he was a father, for heaven's sake! He should have had no trouble talking to and look at women of any age or attractiveness, but you were different for some reason.

**_Pairing:_ **Spirit "Death Scythe" Albarn/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I'd love to know just what you're thinkin'<br>Every little river, runnin' through your mind  
>You give and you take<br>You come and you go  
>You leave me here wonderin' if I'll ever know<br>How much you care or how much you don't  
>Whatever you need, whatever you want...<em>

It wasn't often that Maka brought friends over for him to meet, but on the days she did, well… It was a very special occasion. Made even more special by the simple fact that this wasn't just any old friend he was meeting for the first time, this was _you_.

A graduate from Shibusen who had come back at the request of Death-sama in order to act as a substitute teacher and tutor for some of the students who just hadn't quite gotten the hang of things yet.

It was silly, really, for him to trip over himself the moment he saw a pretty woman (although, he decided later, _pretty_ was far too simple a word to describe how attractive you were), he was a father, for heaven's sake! He should have had no trouble talking to and look at women of any age or attractiveness, but you were different for some reason.

It was the way you spoke to him with respect, even though Maka would talk down about him seconds later, the way you laughed when he teased her back, the simple fact that you had become _friends_ with _his daughter_, and managed to make it more than a week without screaming for mercy. It was the way you tucked your hair back behind your ears and let your eyes soften when you smiled, the way you sat on his couch and sipped tea like you'd done it all your life.

Like you _would_ do it for the rest of your life.

And no, he shouldn't be thinking of things like that (or any number of other things that had instantly sprung to mind not two seconds after), but he _couldn't help it!_

And oh how he tried.

Maka had told him she'd put him in a body cast if he so much as looked at you wrong (and he was oddly proud of how loyal she was to her friends), so falling for you was completely out of the question!

…And yet it had happened anyway.

He saw you in the halls at Shibusen between classes, always smiling as you talked to the students or teachers, and always with that same air of respect that you had had with him. You never talked down to any of the kids (even Black Star, who _still_ couldn't pass one of your training exercises even after all this time), and you even managed to get along with _Stein_ of all people.

He wanted to learn more about you, learn how your mind worked and whether this absurd crush of his had even the tiniest hope of being reciprocated, or if he was barking up the wrong tree entirely.

And if he found that he was, he'd still be there when you needed him, because that's who he was… One giant bleeding heart ready to bleed just for you if you asked him to.

_If you're gonna be somebody's heartbreak  
>If you're gonna be somebody's mistake<br>If you're gonna be somebody's first time,  
>Somebody's last time, baby be mine<br>If you're lookin' to be somebody's "just friends",  
>A little laughin', little lovin', never callin' again, that's just fine<br>If you're gonna be somebody's heartbreak  
>Be mine, yeah<br>Oh, be mine..._

It wasn't until he saw you fight that he really understood just how hopelessly head-over-heels he was for you.

It was an accident, really, he'd wandered out onto the terrace where you were sparring with Black Star for practice and nearly gotten sliced in half by Tsubaki. You'd _laughed_ (a completely heavenly sound), and grabbed his hand, your intent unmistakable even though this wasn't sanctioned and he really _should not_ be letting you use him like this…

But he did anyway.

He transformed and let you run your fingers along his new form, trying not to shiver because you'd be able to feel that through your new link with him. Your soul was a bright pulse on the edge of his vision and he carefully edged towards it, ready to do whatever you asked of him.

"_I can see why Death-sama likes you so much."_ You commented softly as you got used to the weight of him in your hands. _"You're so _flexible_."_

He _knew_ you meant that in reference to his soul wavelength, _knew_ it hadn't been meant in any sort of context that could be seen as compromising, but _so help him_ that's how he heard it.

It had been quite some time since someone had made him blush like that. _"I don't know about that…"_ He grumbled back softly, beating away his embarrassment as you sidestepped another attack by the aqua-haired ninja._ "I can be pretty stubborn sometimes."_

You grinned, nudging against his soul with your own and getting more acquainted with it as you started to spin the scythe through the air before you, getting the feel of it. _"Just the way I like 'em."_ Your wave lengths resonated suddenly, without much warning, and he felt his soul suddenly glow as it merged and intertwined with your own.

If he thought it had been long since he'd been made to blush, it had been even _longer_ since he'd felt like this.

He hardly felt Tsubaki's blade bite against his, he was so focused on you. You moved so smoothly, like you'd been using him your whole life, and kept your eyes on the target. This was a _sparring_ match, and yet it felt like a real battle, your attention fully focused on your opponent and what his next move would be. Your orders came quickly and simply, and he performed them without question.

And when the battle was done and Black Star had finally admitted defeat, he almost didn't want to change back, because he liked being so close to you, in such proximity to your shining soul. But he transformed dutifully and helped you drag Black Star back up onto his feet, a false smile on his face as he watched you and Tsubaki half-carry-half-drag him off to the clinic to treat the superficial scrapes he'd acquired from the fight.

Spirit didn't want to have to leave your side. And (if he was being completely honest), he never wanted to have to do it again.

_I guess that all I'm tryin' to tell ya  
>Is a minute with you is better than two without<br>Oh, I won't be a fool but I can't play it cool  
>So I'm playin' safe and I'm breakin' the rules<br>I'm wishin' I had what I know that you got  
>So if you're comin' my way then please don't stop...<em>

Inevitably, of course, it all went downhill from there.

It started with his apparent need to walk in on you in embarrassing situations (like when you were changing out of clothes that an unfortunate prank had completely ruined), or his complete lack of personal cool when you walked in the room (which had resulted in him face-planting beside Stein's chair and the scientist teasing him mercilessly for a full week after). He couldn't even look at you in the hall without suddenly finding his feet tripped up by overly dense air, or walking into people or things (which had resulted in Maka calling him a clumsy idiot twice now, and he wasn't able to deny it even _a little_).

And you, of course, noticed. The most innocent of questions from you would have him stumbling over words and sputtering as though you'd just asked if he was planning on eating any little children soon, and then you'd giggle at him (which was well within your rights to do, he decided), and he'd lose it all over again.

What was worse, of course, was when you were sent on missions together (which Spirit believed Stein had something to do with, considering he smirked every time Spirit went to him to complain), and there was no possible way for him to hide.

The absolutely _worst_ thing, however, was when you next tried to resonate souls in the middle of a fight and it didn't work, because he was hiding things from you, and partners couldn't do that to each other.

"_Spirit!" _You glared at him as you ducked back behind a boulder, trying to figure out your next move. _"What's going on?! I need to use Witch Hunter, and I can't do that if you don't cooperate!"_

"_I'm sorry!"_ And he _was_, because this mission was slowly turning into a complete disaster, and it was entirely his fault. _"I don't know what the matter is…"_ And _wow_, he hadn't thought it would hurt so much to lie to you.

"_Well figure it out! I can't do this without you…"_ You jumped when a thundering footstep shook the tree above you, your enemy fast approaching.

The look on your face was what really decided it for him, in the end. You looked so panicked and worried and _like hell_ he was letting you get hurt just because he was being a stubborn ass. _"You trust me?"_ He asked, unable to keep the slight shake out of his voice.

"_I wouldn't be here if I didn't."_ You pointed out, managing a faint smile.

He didn't reply verbally, instead pressing closer to where he could see your soul flickering, your hammering heart making it look like a flame caught in the wind. He let go of the secret he'd been hiding, wrapping up your soul with his own and _hoping_ you got the message before this all went straight to hell.

He opened his eyes to find himself in a small room, you standing not far from him with surprise written on your face. "Why didn't you tell me?" You asked softly, looking less insulted and more merely curious.

"I didn't think it would go over well." He shrugged, not looking at you. "I told you, remember, I tend to be stubborn."

You moved over to him, kissing him quickly before you pulled back and grinned. "And I told you, that's just how I like 'em."

You grabbed his hand as his cheeks flushed red, and he was dragged back to the present and the approaching enemy that would squash you both if you didn't do something _soon_.

"_You trust me?"_ You asked, grinning as you held onto him a bit more tightly than before.

"_I wouldn't be here if I didn't."_ He replied with a smirk.

You chuckled, nudging against his soul with your own and feeling the resonance begin. _"Just what I was hoping to hear."_

_Be mine  
>Baby, baby, baby, be mine, all mine<br>If you're gonna break someone's heart, yeah  
>Might as well, might as well be mine...<em>

* * *

><p><em>I love Spirit, I reall do, and it seems oddly fitting to start off the Soul Eater arc of these (so-totally-not) drabbles with him. :3<em>

* * *

><p><em>The song<em> "Somebody's Heartbreak" _belongs to: _Hunter Hayes

Soul Eater and its related characters _belong to:_ Atsushi Okubo


	54. Stories

_Good grief this took me forever to get around to. I apologize!_

_Song suggested by: _Methodical Madness

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**He'd told himself he was fine with you moving away, with giving up seeing you every day, but that had been such a massive lie even _he_ couldn't believe it. He hoped you still remembered him, even after all this time, because he certainly remembered you.

**_Pairing: _**Yūgi Mūto/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I found a line and then it grew<br>I found myself still thinking of you  
>I felt so empty and now I'm fine<br>But still it's burning, when will you be mine...?_

The photo was faded around the corners, mostly from time and too much time spent stuffed in the inner most fold of a wallet, but the center of the picture was what held his amethyst eyes. Two brightly smiling faces stared up at him from a moment caught in time so long ago, and he felt his heart give an extra little lurch as the memories rolled over him.

He'd told himself he was fine with you moving away, with giving up seeing you every day, but that had been such a massive lie even _he_ couldn't believe it.

He drawn a line in his mind and shoved all the memories of you onto the opposite side of it from himself. He'd watched that line grow as he tried to keep himself on his side, watched as it finally grew so wide it swallowed up both himself and the memories and there was no escaping the fire in his chest now that flared up whenever he thought of you.

He stroked a thumb idly along one crumpled edge of the photo and allowed himself a rueful smile. That had been such a long time ago, back when you'd all been in school together and you'd dragged him into the photo booth, just the two of you, while you were at the carnival. He'd been so embarrassed he'd messed up the first picture, but then he'd gotten the hang of making funny faces and laughing as the camera flashed that the rest turned out alright.

He'd only kept this one, the one where you were both smiling brightly, no funny faces or tongues jutting out at odd angles. Just pure delight shining from your faces up out of the photo at him. He wondered if you'd kept all the others. This had been the last one on the strip of five, and something in him hoped you'd kept the other four- kept all the other memories that the two of you had made.

He hoped you still remembered him, even after all this time, because he certainly remembered you.

_Look at me still in your mind  
>Our memories so intertwined<br>Well you broke through and found your way  
>And so did I no need to stay<br>The same old picture, tried and true  
>Been through there, let's look for something new...<em>

You grumbled as you hefted another box up the stairs to your new apartment, wondering when, exactly, you'd acquired what appeared to be so much junk. This had to be the fifth box of seemingly useless stuff you'd hauled up here and you wanted to know when all these boxes had crept into the back of your car because you could have _sworn_ there were only three in there when you left home.

You kicked your door closed behind you and plopped the box onto the nearest chair, recognizing Serenity's handwriting across the top spelling out the word _Memories_.

Well, you decided, that explained why the thing was so heavy.

You grabbed a knife off the kitchen counter behind you and slit the tape on the top of the box open, flipping the cardboard out of the way and peering inside. Faded colors and photos stared back up out at you as you gazed into the box, and it took you a second to realize half your high school life had been packed into the box.

There were yearbooks shoved all the way to one side, in order of year, awards you had won and a few medals that you didn't recall ever being given. A stuffed animal you'd won at the carnival your senior year was beaming up at you over the top of a picture frame that had several photos crammed into it awkwardly.

All four had faded with time, but they were still identifiable. Unlike the other framed pictures in the box, these weren't taken with a regular camera- they were from a photo booth. Yūgi looked awkward and uncomfortable in the first one, like he wasn't entirely sure what to do, but then in the next he was sticking his tongue out and giving you bunny ears. The third featured the two of you hiding behind two massive lollipops that you vaguely remember Tristan giving you that day. The fourth made you laugh, as you kissed Yūgi's cheek and he turned vibrantly pink. You remembered there had been a fifth picture, one where you both smiled properly for the camera, but you couldn't remember where you'd put it.

There had been a lot of memories you'd made with Yūgi and the others, and not just in your senior year. You'd spent most of your high school career making trouble with all of them when you weren't busy studying your butts off at two in the morning at someone's house for an exam you'd all managed to forget until the last minute, or passing notes in class because you all thought your professors were boring.

They'd all been a huge part of how you'd ended up where you were now, actually, all been part of your life for so long you had to remind yourself that you'd graduated and said your goodbyes. You were living your own life now, and that was that- no regrets, you'd all promised.

And yet you still had them all the same.

_Too much of the same stories in our lives  
>I think it's time for change, don't you?<br>Too much of the same stories in our lives  
>I think it's time for us to walk away from here...<em>

"I'm tellin' ya, man, just call her and ask!" Joey's hands were tucked behind his head as he looked at the playing field, always up for a game of Duel Monsters between classes when he had nothing better (like _studying_) to do. "She'd be thrilled to hear from you after all this time."

"You say that, but you don't actually know." Yūgi argued back, drawing a card and surveying his friend's defensive line. "She moved away for a reason, Joey, it's not like she's down the block and I can just go see her, or anything."

"She moved away for _college_, Yūg. That's a legit reason. It's not like she was runnin' from anything, right?" He looked up at the younger boy and gave him a stern look, as though challenging him to admit there had been bad blood between you two before you'd left.

"Right." He muttered, turning his attention back to the game at hand and blocking the idea that you might actually have been mad at him from his mind. It was absurd to speculate over something like that, right? Especially when you'd hugged him so tightly before you left and whispered in his ear… He stopped that train of thought before it could get much further out of the station and stamped out the blush that threatened to spill out onto his cheeks. "I just don't want to intrude on her life, that's all. She's probably busy with classes." He glanced up and smirked faintly. "Unlike a certain blond we both know."

Joey sputtered, effectively distracted from the subject at hand, and Yūgi tried not to think too hard about what you might say if he called you out of the blue like Joey was suggesting. Your lives had been so closely intertwined for so long that it had physically hurt when you'd left, but that didn't mean that calling you and seeing you again would fix that… Even though he really hoped that it would.

He wasn't ready to walk away from you completely, even if you had walked away from him and the rest of them- he didn't believe for a second you had actually _abandoned_ them.

_Do you remember lying on the beach so late at night  
>Do you remember running through the sprinklers that night<br>Do you remember all the songs that I have wrote for you,  
>All the songs that I have wrote for you...<em>

You spent the next week wading through the box labeled _Memories_ and putting the things out into your otherwise barren apartment. You hadn't even gotten all of your clothes unpacked before you plopped the box down onto your bed and took up residence in front of it with a mug of coffee and plans to put every single item in there around your apartment _somewhere_.

There were albums full of pictures you weren't even sure which one of you had taken, the perspectives changing so often you decided the camera must have been passed around a lot.

There were pictures that you could barely make out of when you'd all gone down to the beach and had a bonfire, Joey and Tristan in charge of food while Tea and Serenity handed out drinks and you danced in the background with Yugi and Duke to music Ryou had somehow managed to get playing so far from the car. The albino must had wielded the camera for most of the night because he rarely showed up in front of the lens, but you couldn't blame him.

Another several pages of photos showed you setting off fireworks on New Year's and playing in the sprinkler in your front yard, all of you laughing as Tristan and Joey posed midair for the camera. Ryou featured more heavily this time, and you noticed a lack of Serenity in several of the shots. There was one picture, though, that actually had a flush sweeping up into your cheeks as you looked at it.

You were soaking wet, having jumped through the sprinkler several times already, and Yugi was kissing the bandage on your knee that you'd gotten when you slipped and cut your knee open on the deck of your house. You'd forgotten he'd been the one to come to your rescue even when you waved everyone off and told them you were fine.

Serenity had managed to capture the moment on camera.

In the back of the album, hidden away among other little things like ticket stubs to movies and arcades, were the lyrics to a song you recognized as one Yūgi had written on the back of a napkin. You'd kept it without ever telling him, just because you liked the lyrics.

You stared at the napkin for several long seconds before your phone rang and you nearly dropped your coffee right into the box of memories as you fumbled to answer it. "H-hello?"

"Hey, it's Yūgi… Do you think I could maybe come over some time? House isn't a house till it's been warmed with company, right?" The line sounded cheesy and maybe just a touched rehearsed, but as you looked down at the lyrics he'd written for you, you realized you didn't care.

"Yeah, sure, whenever you like." You tried not to sound as eager as you felt. "But I'll warn you now- I will make you help me unpack."

He laughed, and you felt like it had been years since you'd heard the sound. "I promise not to complain too loudly. Later this afternoon work for you?"

"Perfect." You replied automatically, already hurrying up off the bed and trying to remember where you'd put all your cute clothes. "See you then, Yūgi."

"Yeah," you could _hear_ the smile in his voice. "See you then."

You hung up and quickly threw the phone back onto the bed, putting your coffee down on the table beside it and cracking open another box of clothes in search of something more date-appropriate despite the fact that this probably wasn't going to be a date. It was the principle of the matter, you told yourself.

And you kept telling yourself that when he showed up on your doorstep not two hours later and you pulled him into a kiss.

_I remember, the way you made me feel when I was with you  
>I remember, the smile that always brought me back to you<br>That look in your eyes, I never thought that this could be untrue..._

* * *

><p><em>I love <em>_Yūgi to bits and pieces, not gonna lie. And I think this song suits him, in an odd way. So thank you Methodical Madness~!  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Stories" _belongs to: _Trapt

Yu-Gi-Oh! and its related characters _belong to: _Kazuki Takahashi


	55. Bleeding Out

_Character requested by: _DarkMistLover12

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**He had been the only one to never leave you, to always stay by your side no matter what, no matter how often you told him it was too dangerous for him, or how you could fend for yourself now- he still stayed by your side. He still bled for you even after all this time.

**_Pairing:_**Scar/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I'm bleeding out<br>So if the last thing that I do  
>Is to bring you down<br>I'll bleed out for you…_

You remembered how the world had been before, back when you'd had a home to go to and the man you now called your protector had born a name not associated with how he looked and the crimes he had committed.

In snatches you recalled the way the sun had shone off glimmering sands and how the songs of your people had once filled the temples of your gods. You remembered how crimson eyes could soften at the sound of your voice and how arms could cradle you so gently to a firm and warm chest. You remembered your land in the glory of a past life, a life that had been stolen from you and your people by those murders in blue and white.

Years later, when you realized what had truly happened that day, you could look back and not feel the fury of all those that had been slain in the name of progress and a style of war that bore no resemblance to the name _Civil_ that it carried.

You slowly began to lose your hatred to the decay of time, but you never truly forgot how it had felt to feel the ground beneath your feet turn from hard earth to sticky blood, how the screams had filled your ears, how the only one to whisper in your ear would be the one who bled more than the others simply to keep you safe.

He had been the only one to never leave you, to always stay by your side no matter what, no matter how often you told him it was too dangerous for him, or how you could fend for yourself now- he still stayed by your side.

He still bled for you even after all this time.

_When the day has come  
>That I've lost my way around<br>And the seasons stop and hide beneath the ground  
>When the sky turns gray<br>And everything is screaming  
>I will reach inside<br>Just to find my heart is beating..._

He always liked it when you curled up beside him on cold nights and pretended that it was just the change in season that warranted the sudden closeness. And yet, when winter had left its chill on the world and spring had come to thaw away the frosts, you never left his side. You stayed with him just as he stayed with you, because you needed to know that the blemishes on his skin that were the same as his name were only superficial. His scars needed to only be skin deep, and you needed to see that they stayed that way.

You had run with him from the blood-stained sands of your old home, and he wondered why you had never stopped running. Even when he had found you a home, found you somewhere you could hide and rest and slowly begin to live again, you had chosen to stay with him. You had chosen to lead a life on the run just to be with him, even after he had told you to stay where he put you.

You were stubborn like that, he knew even before he had saved you from the slaughter of the war, but he hadn't expected it to stick with you for so long. He had expected the war to scare it out of you or for his tone to warn you to not do anything rash (_like you had_), but in the end he had been powerless to stop you from tagging along by his side, wandering with him through life.

You were more to him than just a companion, of course, you were the hope he had that life might someday return to normal- that some day the gray sky would once again be blue, and the sands would no longer be tainted red.

You were the hope he saw in humanity, the hope he saw in himself, and you were the one thing he had managed to save from the ravages of war. You were his priceless treasure that he would do anything to save, because if he lost you, he lost his entire being. You were his heart, his soul, his everything.

And coming to that conclusion under the starless sky of a frigid winter night while you rested by his side had been the easiest thing he'd ever had to do.

_When the hour is nigh  
>And hopelessness is sinking in<br>And the wolves all cry  
>To fill the night with hollering<br>When your eyes are red  
>And emptiness is all you know<br>With the darkness fed  
>I will be your scarecrow...<em>

Some nights were easier than others when you were on the run, he'd known it would be like that ever since the beginning, but there had always been that fleeting hope that some nights you'd be able to rest in peace on the outskirts of a town and keep your heads down while the patrols passed and he told you not to worry because he was there.

You wanted to believe him more than anything, that he would keep you both safe- keep you both whole. You were all each other had now, the only sort of family you had been left with after all the fighting and fleeing and trying to pretend your skin wasn't so dark or your eyes so red. You were family, in a strange sense, and family helped one another, kept one another safe and always did what was best for each other.

It was an unspoken agreement that when it was cold, you'd slip closer to him, and when he was tired you'd say you were so he wouldn't feel guilty over asking to stop. He spent nights awake to be sure you were safe, and you did the same although he never knew it.

You refused to let the emptiness and hopelessness overtake you, refused to let him feel like any of this was ever his fault, because _it wasn't_. So you did your own fair bit of teasing the hounds that nipped at your heels and leading them away from where he had collapsed after so long running with you in his arms.

You refused to let him be the only one to bleed.

And when he found out what you did, he never responded with words, but his hands were gently when they rested on your shoulder, and his eyes were softer around the edges when he looked your way, and you decided that if that was all the thanks you ever got, it would be alright, because it meant more from him than anything else in the world from someone who didn't mean it.

_You tell me to hold on  
>Oh you tell me to hold on<br>But innocence is gone  
>And what was right is wrong...<em>

"Why do you do it?"

The question had been asked softly one night as you sat in front of your tiny little fire and fought off the fickle fingers of winter's chill as they tried to sink under your clothes and tug away your warmth. "Do what?" You asked instead, unsure of his meaning.

He looked at you, crimson eyes dancing in the firelight and saying more than his tongue ever could. There were so many questions there, so many things he wanted to know and yet knew he shouldn't ask. So many demands he wanted to have met and yet refused to even ask you for the simplest of favors. "Tell me it will be alright."

"Because it will be." You answered automatically, snapping your gaze back onto the fire and hoping he hadn't seen the look in your eyes that would betray you. "Obviously." He hummed somewhere in the back of his throat and you continued to study the fire, wondering who you were lying to more- him or yourself. You knew it would never turn out alright, not really, but you clung to that hope because it was better than having nothing at all to hold onto.

"Why do you believe that?" Again the question surprised you, but you didn't look up this time, despite feeling his gaze on you. "That we will survive all of this and come out on the other side. There is no proof that it will be that way."

"I need it to be that way." You mumbled back, shrugging and dragging your coat closer around your shoulders. "I need to know we bled for a good reason- not just because we happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I need some sort of justification for all of this." You hazarded a glance his way and found his gaze soft as it met yours. "Don't you?"

He didn't answer for a long moment, and you thought that perhaps he wouldn't reply at all, but then he moved, shifting closer around the edge of the fire and scooping you up into his arms, cradling you gently against his chest the way he had that first time so long ago when he'd carried you away from blood-soaked sand and dying screams of your people. "I need no other reason to live than the one I already have." A kiss was placed on the crown of your head, and his arms tightened about you fractionally. "That is a good reason, isn't it?"

You found your vocal chords in complete disrepair as you merely nodded, snuggling closer to him. "Y-yeah." You managed at last. "Sounds like a good reason to me."

He tipped your chin up with a free hand and placed a soft kiss to your forehead, eyes bright in the firelight as they looked over your face, taking their time in the examination of your features. "I thought you'd agree."

_So I bare my skin  
>And I count my sins<br>And I close my eyes  
>And I take it in<br>And I'm bleeding out  
>I'm bleeding out for you...<em>

* * *

><p><em>This, legit, took me four tries to get right (Darn you Scar!), but it was totally worth it because I love this guy to bits.<em>

_Hope it's what you were wanting, DarkMist!_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Bleeding Out" _belongs to: _Imagine Dragons

Fullmetal Alchemist and its related characters _belong to:_ Hiromu Arakawa


	56. These Walls

_Just so we're clear, this is not going to become a regular thing. XD_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary<strong>_:When you'd first caught sight of the man in the long coat with the hat and eye patch, you'd thought that he looked a bit familiar. But it hadn't been until weeks later that you would realize why that was, or just how familiar his face would become. If you'd known at the time, you perhaps would have done things differently… Or perhaps not.

**_Pairing: _**Tōuga Yagari/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Something missing<br>Left behind  
>Search in circles<br>Every time I try  
>I've been here before<br>I've seen you before…_

You stood at attention by the entrance to the Moon Dorms, ready for your classes to begin, and simply waiting for Yuki to fire the metaphorical flare and loose the hounds of war. Or love, you mused. You weren't sure which was more fitting as you caught sight of Kain and Aidou moving down the staircase to join you by the front door.

You might have been a relatively new addition to the Night Class, only joining the Academy a few months previously, but you had learned very quickly which fellow students you could trust and which you simply didn't want to risk it with.

Kain was fairly reliable, if you had questions you had no problems going to him with them, but Aidou was a bit of a wild card, and your first interaction had involved him getting slapped across the face, so you still doubted he trusted you as much as he did his other Night Class students.

Assuming he trusted them at all, of course.

The doors finally opened, and you quickly slipped out and into the darkening evening, breathing in deeply and smiling at the cool autumn air that filled your lungs. You had quickly grown to enjoy the school, despite your continued insistence that it was completely pointless for you to be relearning everything you _already knew_. Despite how you looked, you could run circles around most of the pupils here, including Kaname, and you'd be lying if you said that didn't fill you with a slight stab of pride.

But it didn't matter how many times you and the Headmaster argued back and forth over your need for lessons on things you already knew, he wanted you in the Night Class for other reasons. He wanted you to keep an eye on his students, and he knew you would.

You'd been trained as a Hunter before you were turned, _so _long ago, and although it was a tad unorthodox to do something like this, you decided it was probably crazy enough to actually work. Funny how the Headmaster could pull things like that off without a hitch.

So, you would be his "_black sheep in white clothing_", as he'd put it, and report back to him if anything went awry in your dorm. It was rare that anything noteworthy happened in the daylight hours that you felt you needed to tell him about, but there had been an incident or two where you slyly dropped him a hint or two and he stepped in to take care of the situation at hand.

You liked it like this, actually, being able to help without people _knowing _that you helped, and you felt an odd sort of accomplishment over the fact that you had helped divert certain disaster more than once in the Moon Dorms.

Even if you _did_ feel like you were running in circles from time-to-time. But that was to be expected, you reasoned, when you were likely twice as old as most of the people here without even looking it.

You dragged your mind back into the present as you moved through the throng of fans that was barely being held back by Zero and Yuki, and caught sight of something familiar on the other side of the crowd.

When you'd first caught sight of the man in the long coat with the hat and eye patch, you'd thought that he looked a bit familiar. But it hadn't been until weeks later that you would realize why that was, or just how familiar his face would become. If you'd known at the time, you perhaps would have done things differently… Or perhaps not.

_I can't escape winding down these halls  
>Hard to find a place where there are no walls<br>And no lines begging me to cross  
>Only straight ahead better move along...<em>

The girl was such a _klutz_ sometimes; you wondered how on _earth_ she had managed to make it this far in life without committing accidental suicide. Or murder, for that matter.

You shook your head to clear it and continued to hurtle along the hallway you were currently in, trying to forget the crimson stain that had bloomed at Yuki's careless motion with the scissors, or the sweet scent of blood that had filled the air. Tablets only did so much for you, after all, and when she yelped and _squeezed the wound_ and asked _you_ of all people what to do- well, you had run.

It was instinct, mostly, because there was no way you could stay around her when she was looking at you like that, and a good dollop of self-preservation, because you knew if you bit _Yuki Cross_ of all people, you'd be kicked-out and run-through in a heartbeat.

And, to be honest, you really didn't want that.

You sighed softly, taking another corner and halting with your hand pressed against the wall, trying to catch your breath. You had no idea how long you'd been running, the whole past half-hour felt like a long, terrible blur of color and sound, and you couldn't remember any of the details of it with clarity.

Your head hurt from the scent of Yuki's blood, and you wanted to scream before you opened your eyes and realized why. There was a blossom of dark red against the immaculate white of your uniform, and you cursed under your breath as you stared at it. Of course she'd manage to cut herself and then _get it on you_.

You growled and looked both ways down the hall. You were still in the main building of the Academy, where classes were held, and as you spotted a door further down the hall from you, you moved towards it without hesitation.

As soon as you were inside and had locked the door, you glared at the red stain on your skirt and wondered how you could get rid of it. Well, the easiest option was to simply rip the skirt. That would work. You could fix it later, and no one would notice if you were careful about going back to your dorm later…

"I take it that blood isn't yours?" The voice was dark and rich and had you snapping your head up as soon as you heard it, searching the dark interior of the lecture room in an attempt to locate it. "Whose is it, then?"

The figure materialized out of the shadows, a cigarette hanging casually from his mouth and one piercingly blue eyes looking right at you. "Yuki's." You decided lying was completely overrated at this point. "She cut herself and managed to get some on me in the process." You tore the fabric carefully, ripping out only the red-stained splotch and then flinging it quickly into the nearest bin.

He raised an eyebrow at you as you clenched your fists and made to head for the door. "You're that Hunter I've heard Kaien talking about, aren't you?" He asked; his tone completely casual. "He said you were unusual… I had no idea _this_ was what he meant."

You had no doubts in your mind what that "_this"_ was as you turned to glare at him. You know who he was. You knew _exactly_ who he was, from his cigarette to his eye patch, there was no mistaking the Vampire Hunter you had heard so many stories about. "It is a problem, Yagari-Sensei?" You asked with an arched eyebrow of your own.

"Well, I was about to ask you the same thing." He moved closer, his whole posture relaxed, as though you were hardly even worth considering a threat, and his smile was just a touch on the wicked side as he sent it your way. "Is it a problem?"

Your jaw clenched, because you knew what he was asking, and you hated the implications. You hated the looks you got from others of your kind, as though _you_ were to blame for all that had happened. As though everything you had gone through could be put down to some foolish mistake that you had made. "No." You snapped, turning your back on him and making for the door. "There's no problem."

A hand caught yours as you started to turn the knob, and a chuckle rumbled into your ear. "Kaien may trust you, _like _you, even, but I'm not as naïve as he is. I'm watching you."

"I'll be sure to look my best, then." You replied as you turned the handle the rest of the way and wrenched the door open. You were halfway down another unfamiliar hallway when your heart finally stopped its attempt to escape your chest and calmed again. You tugged off your jacket, remembering you would be questioned if you showed up to your dorm with a hole visible in your skirt, and held it carefully to cover where Yuki's blood had been.

You straightened your shoulders, took a deep breath, and kept moving. There was nothing else to do, after all, than simply move forward.

_Like clockwork  
>I commit the crime<br>I pretend to be  
>Everything they like<br>I've been here before  
>I've seen you before...<em>

Your back slammed into the wall hard enough to knock the breath from your lungs, and you couldn't get it back again before something else entirely was keeping you from proper respiratory function.

It had started so simply, so _innocently_, and had spiraled out of control and into _this_ so quickly you barely remembered how it had begun. You walked yourself through it, step-by-step, in an attempt to bring yourself back to the present and how you'd even _ended up _in a situation like _this_. It had started with the Headmaster. Kaien had told you to practice your skills with a sparring partner. Zero had offered. Yuki had stolen him. Tōuga had taken his place.

And just like that, everything had spun so completely out of control you weren't sure it could ever be put right again. Tōuga was _ruthless_ when it came to sparring, and you had only walked away a few times because you were smaller than him and could outmaneuver him in a pinch. _Barely_.

But then there were times like this, times when you were pushed between his unforgiving, iron frame and a wall (_or tree, door, floor, or desk_),and everything spun out of control again.

He didn't give you time to complain- to protest or plead with him to at least let you _catch your breath_ before he stole it all away again. He didn't let you find the words you desperately searched for as you looked up into that solitary blue eye and wished your voice would _work_, because you needed him to know, to _hear_, _to understand_ what this did to you.

What _he_ did to you.

But he refused. He would not relent in his attacks, in his constant combat with both your mind and body, and it was all you could do to keep breathing when he did.

And when he _didn't_, in between classes and during the hours you slept like a stone curled up in your dorm room and tried not to dream, it was as though he never _had_. You both lied, both pretended, both played the parts you were expected to, because this was all so far from the realm of alright that you knew you'd never make it back there again- even if you'd wanted to.

The night you bit him it happened because he'd pushed you too far and you had to breathe, had to give your mind a break from the constant onslaught that he was throwing your way. A careless motion had caused his lip to bleed, and that tiny little tease was all you needed to snap. Your fangs sank into the flesh of his shoulder, at the junction of muscle near the base of his neck, and he froze as you dug deeper and refused to let go.

He tasted like nothing else you'd ever had before- a concoction of intoxicating flavors all his own. He made your head spin, made you feel giddy and breathless all over again even though you were drinking in deep gulps of cool autumn air. When you finally let go, let your fangs retract and lazily drew your tongue across the wound, you thought he might drop you on principle.

But he didn't.

He held you more tightly, held you gently and carefully and sighed softly into your hair as he took a moment to collect himself. "You should have said." It was a soft chastisement compared to what you had been expecting, and you accepted it without much argument.

"You never gave me a chance." You grumbled, staring at where you'd bitten him and wondering when you'd stop breathing for good this time.

"You're lucky I'm so forgiving." He nipped at your ear and you jumped. "Stop looking so scared. I haven't let you go, and I don't intend to." He pulled back far enough to look you in the eye, his smile soft and only just visible. "Understand?"

You nodded mutely, unsure of exactly what to say, and he caught your mouth with his, stealing your breath away again the way he had so many times.

You didn't understand, not really- you didn't understand how he had fallen so far or so hard for a _thing_ like you, or how you had managed to do the same thing for a _person_ like him, but you chose not to question it. You chose to accept what he gave you and take it in stride because doing otherwise would have been foolish in the _extreme_.

He hadn't let you go- and he had promised not to, and that was all you needed to know. All you really needed at all, to be honest, so you kept holding onto him, and knew you always would.

_And I trade everything for this  
>And I trade everything for this<br>Why do I read the writing on the wall...?_

* * *

><p><em>Dedicated to <em>Methodical Madness, _who both loves this song and this character (for good reason)._

_As I said at the beginning, however, this is not going to become a regular thing. This is likely the only Vampire Knight character I will do a JD for, so don't get your hopes up. Unless I happen to find a song that _perfect_ for another character, or something. But whatever. Don't expect anything._

* * *

><p><em>The song "<em>These Walls_" belongs to: _Trapt.

Vampire Knight and its related characters _belong to:_ Matsuri Hino


	57. Perfect

_It has been way too long. I apologize profusely!_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**You had friends now, something you hadn't had in a long time, and you felt… at home among them. They encouraged you and told you not to give up, and in the case of Black Star, they threatened you about what would happen if you did. And one in particular, well… He did something else entirely.

**_Pairing:_ **Death the Kid/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Made a wrong turn,<br>Once or twice  
>Dug my way out,<br>Blood and fire  
>Bad decisions,<br>That's alright  
>Welcome to my silly life...<em>

Your first mistake, if you were being honest with yourself, was when you had first picked up a Weapon and used it to kill the witch that was trying to hurt your family. He'd eaten that witch's soul, and you'd thought nothing of it, because that was what was supposed to happen… Right?

The next mistake you made was when you went to Shibusen and started your training, because that had been reckless and irresponsible, and there were better ways for a girl to spend her days than learning how to fight. But you were good at it, _gifted_ some of the teachers said, and you knew deep down this was where you were supposed to be. You were meant to hunt monsters and build the best Death Scythe anyone had ever seen. You planned to make your way through the Academy and be as good as you could be…

Even if you didn't think that was really that good at all.

You weren't the brightest in your class, not like Maka, and you didn't have spirit like Black Star either, and sometimes you overlooked the details, unlike Kid.

You didn't really fit in anywhere, as far as you were concerned, and you weren't really sure where you even _wanted_ to fit in, because nothing much in your life had ever really made sense up to this point, and now that you were here it made even less sense than it ever had before.

But that was you all over, unsure of how to get somewhere, but dead set on accomplishing whatever goal you'd set for yourself. You'd do whatever it took to chase your dreams and never let them go, but the path you had to take to get there was always a little fuzzy around the edges.

So you started at the bottom, by going to Shibusen, and you'd just learn to work your way up from there. And you weren't exactly alone in your struggle, either. You had friends now, something you hadn't had in a long time, and you felt… at home among them. They encouraged you and told you not to give up, and in the case of Black Star, they threatened you about what would happen if you did.

And one in particular, well… He did something else entirely.

_Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood  
>Miss "no way, it's all good",<br>It didn't slow me down  
>Mistaken, always second guessing<br>Under estimated,  
>Look, I'm still around…<em>

It hadn't exactly been easy, those first few months training with a Weapon you didn't know all that well because you'd been forced to pick a new one. But you'd made it through alright.

And when you hadn't, you'd shrug it off and pretend it _was_ alright, because that was what you thought people wanted to see from the new kid. You wanted to pretend that everything was alright, because it made it easier for everyone if you weren't running to the nurse's station over every little cut that you ended up with after a sparring match.

So you held your tongue, you tended to your own wounds, and you let everyone think you had skin like leather, because otherwise it would have hurt way too much.

You didn't realize until your third week that the tough-girl routine was actually driving people away, because they thought you could cope on your own. And part of you, honestly, thought it might be better that way, because you didn't need them anyway, but the other part wanted to cry even harder, because that hadn't been the plan.

You had wanted to _make_ friends while you were here, not drive away whatever ones you'd managed to scrape together in that first week of scrambling to make connections.

But a few of them understood what you were doing, and they stuck around.

They pretended that you were tough, just like you did, and whenever they knew you weren't, they'd make excuses so you could keep on pretending for as long as possible. They kept an eye on you, without ever saying that was what they were doing, and every now and then, they'd tell you when they thought you'd gone on pretending long enough and just needed to stop.

Kid was the worst, though, because he'd pull you aside in hallways and classrooms without warning and tell you exactly what he thought about your stubborn attitude and what it was doing to you.

And you could never tell him to back off like you could the others, because this was _Kid_, and you couldn't bring yourself to say something crushing to him, because of all the people in Shibusen, he was the one whose opinion mattered most to you. _He_ was the one who _mattered most_.

_You're so mean,  
>When you talk,<br>About yourself,  
>You are wrong.<br>Change the voices, In your head  
>Make them like you Instead...<em>

"Oh, c'mon, Kid, I'm terrible at this. Why even bother?" You huffed as he stood beside you, watching the way you held his Weapons. They felt odd in your hands, after all your work with your own Weapon, but he had insisted that you learn how to match your wavelength with another Meister's Weapon, in case something happened (that he discreetly did not name), and you were forced to use a Weapon that wasn't your own.

"We've been through this. You have to learn how to use them effectively." He was holding your Weapon carefully, getting a feel for it before he ever started to use it. "Now, let's try this again, shall we?"

He took his stance and you took yours, but when he started forward and you pulled the trigger, nothing happened. You squeaked and ducked under his blow, coming around with a swift kick to the backs of his knees and knocking him down. You put both guns to the back of his head when he landed on his knees, but you knew there was no real threat in your stance. You couldn't fire his guns even if you had wanted to.

And you _did_.

"Well, at least your hand-to-hand has gotten better." He commented softly as you stood there awkwardly and tried to figure out what to do next.

"I told you, I'm worthless at changing my wavelength. Stein already told me I'm a one-Weapon sort of person. That's just the way it works." You let your arms fall back to your sides and took a step back from him, shrugging. "It's no big deal."

"You are not _worthless_." He snapped, standing up and brushing at the knees of his pants, a frown on his face. "So stop saying so."

"I said I was worthless at _this_." You replied, handing him back his guns and retrieving your Weapon from him. "I'm just _hopeless_ at everything else."

He rolled his eyes, sighing. "Honestly, what am I going to do with you?"

"Let me use my own Weapon?" You suggested with a bright smile, tucking your hands behind your back and rocking onto your heels. "Cause, like I said, that's what I'm good at."

"Fine, fine, no more trying to get you to use another Weapon… But in exchange, I want something from you."

You blinked, surprised by the request, but willing to go along with it all the same. "Alright, what is it?"

"No more talk of how you're hopeless or worthless, or whatever. You're an excellent Meister, and you have a good Weapon to work with. Don't let anyone, including you, say otherwise."

You giggled at that, nodding and holding out a hand. "Agreed."

_So complicated,  
>Look how we all make it<br>Filled with so much hatred  
>Such a tired game.<br>It's enough,  
>I've done all I can think of<br>Chased down all my demons,  
>I've seen you do the same...<em>

What struck you as odd, above all else, was how you acted when you _weren't_ on a mission. How the inactivity of sitting around Shibusen actually got under your skin and made you itch for action. You wanted to scream or pound your fists against the walls, or _something_, just to get all the pent-up frustration and energy out of your body.

It helped that Black Star was always willing to be a dart board for you (and when you two started going at it on the terraces of the Academy, _everyone_ knew it), but you needed more than that. You needed the hunt as well as the fight, and you didn't get that from simple sparring matches with your friends.

But you had nothing to do, no revenge that needed to be taken or great quest that needed to be finished, and when you weren't on missions, you were stewing in your room.

And when you did come back from a mission, and collapsed on your bed with a tired laugh and an ache in your bones that would last for a day at least, you were at your happiest. It was ugly and bloody, and a sad little game, but you loved it, because it made you feel alive.

And who knew, maybe that meant you weren't quite right in the head (even though Stein claimed it was completely normal, but he wasn't really one to talk), but it part of what made you, well, _you_, so you didn't care enough to change it.

Besides, you liked the way it felt when you were on a mission, and you loved the rush of knowing you were saving the world by doing your job, so you left it at that and let the world worry about what that meant without you.

And it would have been fine until the end of eternity, but then something happened, and you felt like the ground would swallow you, _should_ swallow you, and you ran and hide from the world because Maka was your _friend_, and hurting her was not acceptable, no matter the circumstances.

She would make it, Stein had said, but that didn't make you feel any less terrible about what had happened, about what you had done.

And you turned everyone away until the day came that Kid showed up at your door and refused to leave until you let him in, so you did.

"It was an accident." He sat beside you on your bed, his eyes carefully lowered to the floor as he let you cry in peace. "You couldn't have known she was around the corner, I was there, I know it was total chaos." He glanced in your direction without ever actually looking at you, and you hid your face against your knees. "She'll be fine, and she's not mad with you, so I don't see why you should be mad at yourself." One of his hands landed lightly on yours, and you almost jumped from the sudden contact. "So, don't blame yourself, alright?"

You sighed softly, shaking your head. "I was too into the fight, Kid, I should have known better than to just attack without knowing who was there."

"We all make mistakes." He whispered back softly. "No one's perfect, not even me, although I like to lie to myself about that in order to get by."

You laughed at that, which had been his intention, and glanced up to look at him, smiling. "I think you're perfect, Kid."

He raised an eyebrow, smiling. "You do, huh? Well, fancy that, I think you're perfect too."

_Oh, pretty, pretty please  
>Don't you ever, ever feel<br>Like your less than, less than perfect.  
>Pretty, pretty please<br>If you ever, ever feel  
>Like your nothing<br>You're perfect to me..._

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><p><em>The song<em> "Perfect" _belongs to: _P!nk

Soul Eater and its related characters _belong to:_ Atsushi Okubo


	58. Wonderful

_It's been a while, but here's another chapter! Sorry for the delay!_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**You two had gotten closer over the years, and you'd be lying if you said he wasn't one of your closest friends. Joey didn't hold back with you, he told you what he thought and how he felt and you did the same with him. You were honest with each other, and it had done nothing but strengthen your friendship.

**_Pairing_**: Joey Wheeler/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I close my eyes when I get too sad<br>I think thoughts that I know are bad  
>Close my eyes and I count to ten<br>Hope it's over when I open them…_

The door slammed shut behind him, the stairs were taken two at a time, the bedroom door was closed with just as much force as the first, his backpack was discarded and he flopped onto his bed face-first. His eyes were closed tight, his breathing uneven, and his thoughts jumbled.

Life would be so much better without them, he thought; if it were just him and his sister they wouldn't _have_ this problem! And maybe… Maybe it would be better even without his sister, too…

No, no! He shouldn't be having thoughts like that. He loved his sister, loved his parents too, most of the time… He shouldn't be thinking such bad things.

He sighed deeply, trying to calm his thundering pulse, and started his usual ritual. He counted to ten, thinking of ten things that had made him happy that day. They could be anything, in any order, so long as they were unrelated to his family and the ramshackle life they had.

_Breathe in, breathe out. _"One…" _That cute new girl smiled at me today._

_Hope my mom and I hope my dad  
>Will figure out why they get so mad<br>Hear them scream, I hear them fight  
>They say bad words that make me wanna cry...<em>

The door slammed shut downstairs, voices were instantly raised, something shattered as it was thrown, and he covered his head with a pillow. He didn't want to hear one more yelling match, one more unresolved argument stretch on for hours.

He was supposed to be studying for a test he had later that week… His mother wouldn't remember she'd promised to help him study, now. She'd be too upset to remember, and then he'd probably end up forgetting himself and getting a bad grade on the test, and she'd be even _more_ mad. He closed his eyes and tried to block out the screaming from downstairs.

He hated to hear his parents fight, hated to hear them get so mad… They were supposed to love each other, right? That was what marriage was all about… Wasn't it?

He pulled the pillow tighter over his ears and started counting. _Breathe in, breathe out_. "One…" _That new girl said she'd help me study._

_Close my eyes when I go to bed  
>And I dream of angels who make me smile<br>I feel better when I hear them say  
>Everything will be wonderful someday...<em>

He flopped onto his bed, tired and sore, and closed his eyes against the light of the setting sun that was trying to peep through the curtains over his window. The house was quiet, eerily so, and he almost missed the violent rows, because the silence was almost worse… _Almost_, because those fights had _almost_ ruined his schooling, _almost_ ruined his life, _almost_… He sighed, folding his arms under his head and putting it out of his mind.

He was in high school now, and all that stuff that had come before… That was in the past, now. He had moved on, made up his mind that it wouldn't bother him anymore, but sometimes… Sometimes he wasn't strong enough, and it came back to haunt him.

_Breathe in, breathe out_. "One…"

"_You shouldn't let it get to you." You were smiling as you sat next to him at lunch, friends ever since that day so long ago when you'd first transferred into the same school as him. "Everything will be wonderful someday."_

_He wanted to laugh, not because he found it funny, exactly, but because he always felt better when you said things like that. "You think so, huh?" He asked instead, arching his eyebrows at you. "What makes you so sure?"_

"_I don't know." You shrugged, jabbing your fork into your food. "Guess it's just a hope I have. I _want_ things to work out alright."_

"_Doesn't everybody?" Joey asked, snitching one of your fries with a sly grin. "_Pursuit of Happiness_, and all that?"_

"_I guess." You stole a swallow of his drink in retaliation for his fry-snatching. "But I want everything to turn out alright. My life, your life, everyone else's lives, too."_

_He chuckled, shaking his head, but didn't argue. Who could, with an angel who had a smile like yours?_

_I go to school and I run and play  
>I tell the kids that it's all okay<br>I laugh aloud so my friends won't know  
>When the bell rings I just don't wanna go home...<em>

He slumped into his seat beside you in class, folding over the top of it and hiding his face in the crook of one elbow, a deep sigh leaving him as you reached over and tentatively poked his shoulder. "You okay over there, Joey?" You asked with raised eyebrows. He looked exhausted, but that wasn't too uncommon nowadays, with him running off all over the place at the drop of a hat.

"Didn't get much sleep." He replied with a shrug, peeking an eye up over his arm to look at you. "I don't suppose you'd let me look at your notes later, if I don't get it all the first time through?"

You laughed and shook your head at him, but you couldn't deny so simple a request. Not from Joey Wheeler, of all people. "I suppose… But don't get used to it!"

"I won't, I promise." He laughed, still looking at you curiously. You opened your mouth to ask him what was going on, but the teacher walked in just then and you didn't get the chance.

All through class, however, he kept glancing your way, looking like he wanted to whisper something across the aisle that separated you, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Joey wasn't usually shy— quite the opposite, actually, so it made you wonder what could possibly be keeping him from just coming out and asking you whatever it was he had on the tip of his tongue.

You two had gotten closer over the years, and you'd be lying if you said he wasn't one of your closest friends. You got along well, and aside from anything else, you could both sit back and laugh at the other people around you when they did stupid things. Joey didn't hold back with you, he told you what he thought and how he felt and you did the same with him. You were honest with each other, even when it was awkward or embarrassing, but it had done nothing but strengthen your friendship.

You cornered him after class, giving him a disapproving look before you came right out and asked him what was going on. "You know I don't mind you talking to me during class. So what stopped you?"

He shrugged, giving a nervous chuckle. "Couldn't think of how to say it. You doing anything later? I was thinking about doing homework down at the park and thought you might like to come. Gotta get those notes outta you somehow, remember?"

You laughed at that, catching a look in his eyes that you couldn't place but letting it slide this time. If Joey had alternative motives for what he was doing, that was fine. You knew he'd tell you if you needed to know, and that was enough for you, most of the time. "Well, if I _have_ to." You rolled your eyes at him, but you both knew you were just teasing. "But why the park? Why not just go back to your house?"

He shrugged, not looking you in the eye as he headed off down the hall towards your next class. "It's nice outside today. It'd be a shame to waste it."

You didn't completely believe that excuse, but you let that slide too. No need to open a can of worms when there was no reason to, right?

_Go to my room and I close my eyes  
>I make believe that I have a new life<br>I don't believe you when you say  
>Everything will be wonderful someday...<em>

"_Nice day_?!" You asked, laughing as you ran with Joey towards his house, the rain soaking through your uniform like it wasn't even there. "How is this a nice day?"

"How was I supposed to know it was gonna start pouring all of a sudden?" He asked, fumbling in his pocket for the key to the front door, laughing a bit himself as you sputtered beside him and tried to fend off the rain with your book bag. He finally managed to get the door open and you both hurried inside, laughing as you closed the door on the downpour outside and kicked off your shoes, dripping all over the entrance way. He looked you over for a moment, as you both started shivering, and then scratched the back of his head. "You can borrow some of my sis's clothes while yours dry, if you like, c'mon; I'll show you."

You left your now-soaked book bag by the door along with your shoes and trudged upstairs, dripping rainwater all over the carpet. He showed you into Serenity's room and then went into his own, tugging off his wet clothes and dumping them into a pile by his door. He changed into more comfortable, dry clothes and flopped onto his bed, listening to the rain hammer against the roof.

You'd been doing just fine in the park, talking and laughing and sharing notes, and neither of you had thought anything of the clouds rolling in until the bottom suddenly dropped out and you'd had to run like there were demons on your heels back to his house. It was closer than yours, and with you here it wasn't as bad, but it was still… Still not quite right.

Stupid rain ruining an otherwise _perfect_ afternoon.

_Breathe in, breathe out. _"One…"

You knocked gently on Joey's door, waiting till you heard a muffled grumble to open it and peer inside. He was lying on his bed, arms over his eyes and legs dangling over one edge. His breathing was deep and even, and if he hadn't just told you (however non-verbally) to come in, you would have guessed he was asleep. "Joey?"

He shifted in order to peer over at you, an eyebrow arching. "Yeah?"

"Still want those notes? They should have made it." You didn't really need the answer, you already knew he needed them, but you needed to know he was alright. He had been acting a little odd all afternoon, and this… Well, this wasn't the Joey Wheeler you knew.

"Yeah, that'd be great." He sat up and gave you a tired smile. "Living room?"

"Here?" You countered, shrugging. "I like the sound of the rain." You knew he felt safer in his room, he'd admitted that once, and you really did like the sound of the rain drumming on the roof above you.

Joey looked a bit panicked at the thought of having a girl in his room for any amount of time, regardless of the fact that the girl was _you_, and nodded jerkily, waiting till you had turned to go get the notes before he jumped into action and started a very fast pick up of the mess that inhabited parts of his room.

He'd just finished hanging out his uniform in the bathroom to let it dry when you came back, plopping onto his bed and smiling. "How do you not sleep well on this thing?" You asked, getting comfy on the soft mattress. "I'd sleep like a rock."

He laughed at that, coming to sit on the other end and shrugging as he picked up his own notebook from the floor and flipped it open. "It's not just the bed, it's the stuff in my head before I sleep that's the problem."

"What do you do to fix it?" You asked, watching the way he dipped his head and tried to hide, the way he always did when an uncomfortable topic came up.

"I hide." He replied shortly, shrugging. "It works for a while, but eventually it's not enough."

You acted out of instinct, not even realizing what you were doing before you did it, and blushing a bit at your own boldness. You grabbed his chin, tilted his face back up, and kissed him soundly, waiting until he'd gotten past the shock and kissed you back before you pulled away. "Everything is going to be fine, Joey." You looked him in the eye, giving him your brightest smile. "And the next time you need to hide, come hide with me, okay?"

He smiled the bright, hopeful, earnest smile you loved so much. "Okay."

"Promise?" You asked, giving him a serious look.

He laughed, pulling you to him and burying his face in your hair, sighing. "Promise."

You smiled, feeling your eyes prickle with tears as you felt his warmth start to seep into you, his heart beating through his chest and into yours. Everything would be _wonderful_, now.

_Promises mean everything when you're little  
>And the world is so big<br>I just don't understand how  
>You can smile with all those tears in your eyes<br>When you tell me everything is wonderful now..._

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><p><em>I do love Joey, despite whatever anyone else says. X3<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Wonderful" _belongs to: _Everclear

Yu-Gi-Oh! and its related characters _belong to: _Kazuki Takahashi


	59. My Forever Smoochy Girl

_At least it didn't take me as long as the last one, okay. XD  
>There are more on the horizon, I swear! And please, if you have a charactersong pairing (or just one or the other by itself!) that you'd like to suggest, just shoot me a message! I'd love to do one for you!_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**He wanted to be the one to protect you, to comfort you, to tell you not to worry because Big Brother was here to save the day… It didn't make any sense to him until one day when Leeron made a comment about what a pretty little thing you were growing up to be, and then it was like a slap to the face for him. _He was in love with you_.

**_Pairing:_**Kamina/Reader

**_Warning:_**Very brief language

* * *

><p><em>When I am with you; it's like<br>All my dreams have just come true  
>Even though I've known you for a while<br>Tell me is it true; do you  
>Feel the same way that I do<br>Do you feel the same cause I'm in love  
>And it's easy to see<br>That you will always be..._

You'd called him _Big Brother_, once, before all this had happened.

Before you'd made it to the surface and found your mission to save the world. It had been simpler then, he would be lying if he denied that, but now you had freedom, a will to do whatever you wanted. You could make up your own minds, now, and surely that was better than anything else ever could have been.

But you didn't call him _Big Brother_ anymore.

You called him _Kamina_, now, called him by his real name cause that's what people on the surface did. And it didn't matter how much he ruffled your hair or teased you, or picked you up and chucked you over his shoulder when he thought it was time for you to go to bed, you didn't call him that any more.

And he _missed it_.

He missed the way your eyes used to light up when he had a new idea, how you'd looked up at him with utter awe and wonder and called him _Big Brother_ in that adorable way of yours. And he didn't miss the awe and wonder, he could still hear it in your voice when you watched him in battle, he still knew it was there—what he missed was the way you had called him that nickname and looked _up_ at him. You were nearly the same height, now; nearly the same in skill as pilots; nearly the same in a lot of ways.

He wasn't the kind of guy who minded a girl who could keep up with him (far from it, in fact), but there was a part of him that wished you weren't so hell-bent on keeping up with him like you were. He wanted to be the one to protect you, to comfort you, to tell you not to worry because Big Brother was here to save the day…

It didn't make any sense to him until one day when Leeron made a comment about what a pretty little thing you were growing up to be, and then it was like a slap to the face for him.

_He was in love with you_.

And just like that, everything made sense. The way his heart positively _pulverized _the inside of his ribs when you were in danger, the way he blushed involuntarily when you paid him a compliment, the way his ears rang when you smiled at him, the way he felt like he was walking on air when you sent him a wink and stuck out your tongue… Everything suddenly made sense.

Except why you didn't seem to act the same.

You didn't have a hard time getting words out in his presence, as far as he could tell, and you didn't blush like a school girl when he winked and ruffled your hair. He worried he was doing something wrong—doing something he shouldn't be, but he shoved that idea out as soon as it occurred to him. That was a stupid idea, especially for him to be contemplating, and he tried to think of _anything _else whenever he was on a mission.

You grabbed his attention and held onto it without any effort whatsoever, and he was helpless to stop it… Even if he'd wanted to.

_My forever smoochy girl  
>Please tell me is it true<br>My forever smoochy girl  
>Do you dream about me too<br>My forever smoochy girl  
>Do you feel the same as me<br>My forever smoochy girl  
>Cause you will always be...<em>

Kamina wasn't really a subtle sort of guy. That should have been obvious from the sunglasses and cape, really, but regardless; it was true. He didn't _do_ subtle. He was the guy who kicked in the front door and demanded the guys on the other side to reach for the sky. He was _not_ the one who hacked in some back-door server and sent their mechanical world into chaos via subterfuge. He had _other_ people for that.

So why on earth he ever thought taking the subtle approach with you would be a good idea, he couldn't fathom, but it's what he did. He watched and waited, and wondered himself into a tizzy because he wanted to _know_. He _needed_ to know.

Needed to know if you felt the same, if you were up half the night because of dreams you _couldn't shake_. He needed to know what was going on in that pretty little head of yours, and if you knew how your smile made him positively _melt_.

It was driving him mad by the time Simon caught on and told him to quit it. They needed a leader, not a love-mad man with no plan. And Kamina would have agreed (on some level, actually, he already _did_), but he couldn't just turn it off. He couldn't _stop_ his heart from hammering every time you walked by, or his eyes from glancing your way when he heard you whisper something to another member of the team. He couldn't _help himself_ around you.

And the day he finally caught you, going into your Gunman to "inspect the interior" (he secretly thanked whatever fool had bought that line, because it was _ridiculous_), he gave you no doubts about how he felt, pushing you back into the pilot's seat after you'd stood to salute him and kissing you soundly.

For your part, you slapped him after he pulled away, because it took him so damn long to finally get around to it.

_Put your hand in mine  
>Cause we're gonna stand the test of time<br>You know my heart belongs to you alone  
>When we're eighty-two<br>I will still be chasing after you  
>Round and round and round the old folks home<br>And it's easy to see  
>That you will always be...<em>

Kamina figured, about a week later, that he really _had_ deserved that slap.

He couldn't figure out why it had taken him so long to get around to just telling you how he felt (or, more importantly, _showing you_), and he felt like a bit of an idiot for taking as long as he had.

But he had you now, and that's what mattered. You were his. Only his. And he was yours too.

And alright, fine, you didn't call him _Big Brother_ anymore, or look up at him with awe, but he was alright with that, because you called him _Kamina_, in a way only you could say his name, and you looked up at him with something so much better than awe… And he wouldn't have had it any other way.

The best part, though, was knowing that you'd _always_ be his.

Years from now, when he wasn't as handsome (though, he was willing to bet you'd be just as attractive not matter what), he'd still be yours, and you'd still be his. He wouldn't ever leave you, and you'd never give up on him, either.

You'd come this far, and he knew you'd be able to go even further, that you could pierce the heavens and fly even beyond _that_, if you wanted to. There was no limit to how far you two could go, as long as you had each other.

And you did. Completely and wonderfully, and in every way he had ever hoped and dreamed of, and yet it was still _better_, somehow, because this wasn't his imagination, anymore, this was _real_. And it was _wonderful_. And it was _his_. And so were you.

_You and me together  
>We will always be the best of friends<br>I'll love you girl forever  
>My love for you will never ever end...<em>

* * *

><p><em>This series... My word. I can't believe it took me so long to finally watch it (when I had so many people telling me to). Totally worth it.<br>And Kamina, good heavens, he got me right from the start. X3  
><em>

_It's the blue hair, I swear it is. And the tattoos._

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><p><em>The song "<em>My Forever Smoochy Girl" _belongs to: _The Lads

Gurren Lagann and its related characters _belong to: _Kazuki Nakashima


	60. Bella Notte

_I know it's been forever, but you can celebrate in the knowledge that upon my return, I bring you adorableness! :D  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: -Human AU- <em>**It had started with a card, just a simple card, pushed under your door one night and asking for you to do the cute Italian the pleasure of having dinner with him one evening. You had naturally accepted, of course, because why on earth would you not?

**_Pairing:_** Feliciano Vargas (Italy)/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Oh, this is the night<br>And the heavens are right  
>On this lovely Bella Notte...<em>

It had started with a card, just a simple card, pushed under your door one night and asking for you to do the cute Italian the pleasure of having dinner with him one evening. You had naturally accepted, of course, because why on earth would you not? You had liked him since the first time he'd opened his mouth, and saying no to a Vargas was a good way to get yourself in bad with a certain German, and you knew _that_ would end badly.

Unfortunately, that was all the card had said, so when you wrote _yes_ on the back and slipped it under his door in reply, you weren't entirely sure when on earth this impromptu date would be taking place. It seemed completely natural to you to expect another note, telling you a date and time, but when none came you took care every day to wear something cute just in case.

Feliciano took care to avoid you, those next few days, and for a good week you were left to wonder what on earth was going on before a brunette of a darker shade caught you by the elbow and tugged you off down a corridor.

"Stupid! I nearly broke my neck getting that card out of the room before my brother saw it!" Romano glared at you as he paced back and forth, having given you no explanation as he pushed you into a seat and huffed angrily. "Feliciano has no idea about any of this— and he can't find out, either. It's meant to be a surprise for the both of you, but _someone_ goofed it up!"

"What did you expect?!" You finally snapped back. "I thought the note was from your brother, I didn't know _you_ were behind this."

He scoffed, but made no attempts to deny it. "I wanted to do something for my brother for his birthday, and he won't stop going on and on about you, so…" He trailed off a little lamely, shrugging. "Look, pretend for a little longer, would you? I'll get everything straightened out, and then you two can have a date and pretend like it was all his idea to begin with."

You opened your mouth, but he stalked off before you could properly berate him for his shoddy planning skills. Instead, you stayed where you were, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. Romano, it seemed, was playing match-maker, and for whatever reason, that made you worried.

You pushed it to the back of your mind, though, just as you pushed yourself to your feet and pretended like you hadn't just been accosted in the hallway by an attractive Italian… Even if it wasn't the one you had _wished_ it to be.

_Oh this is the night  
>It's a beautiful night<br>And we call it Bella Notte  
>Look at the skies<br>They have stars in their eyes  
>On this lovely Bella Notte...<em>

It was a total accident, when it actually happened.

You were going outside to look at the moon (something Romano had suggested casually you do), and you ran right into Feliciano as he started out the door you were headed into. You both turned bright red and hurried to apologize over your clumsiness, and then promptly laughed at your overlapping words.

"Where are you headed, _bella_?" He asked, canting his head to one side with a smile. "And can I offer you an arm to get you where you're going?"

You laughed at that, nodding and taking the arm offered you. "I was headed outside. I heard the moon was beautiful tonight."

He looked a bit surprised, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. "On this balcony? Oh, no, no, the view's no good from over here; we'll have to find somewhere else."

"Why? I just want to take a peek." You reached around him for the door handle, fully determined to poke your head out, see the moon, and then vanish away again as though this hadn't happened.

"No, really, you shouldn't-" His voice died as soon as you got the door open, seeing what lay beyond on the terrace.

There was a small table set for two, lit with candles and sprinkled with rose petals, and right above you the moon was shining brightly, full and perfect as it watched you inch further onto the balcony. Music was playing softly in the background, the tune one you knew well, and there was already food and wine set out on the table.

"…Feliciano?" You whispered, turning to look at him as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"It was Romano's idea." He admitted glumly, something you already knew but were willing to forget at any moment. "He thought it would be nice to… well…" He hung his head, sighing. "I couldn't get up the courage to ask you myself, so he decided to trick you into coming out here, but I felt bad about it and wanted to stop you so you wouldn't-"

You cut him off by leaning up to kiss his cheek, earning yourself a flush and a wide-eyed stare from honey-brown orbs. "It's wonderful, _Signor _Vargas. Thank you."

He smiled, putting a hand lightly on your back and guiding you to your seat, pulling it out and then pushing it back in behind you. "Anything for you, _bella_."

_Side by side  
>With your loved one<br>You'll find enchantment here  
>The night will weave its magic spell<br>When the one you love is near..._

Despite his initial discomfort over deceiving you, Feliciano was able to keep a running conversation going throughout dinner, his usual childishness falling away in degrees the longer the two of you talked. It didn't vanish entirely, of course, and he still got overly-excited from time-to-time (and nearly spilled wine all over himself with a few sweeping hand gestures), but you liked that about him.

When you had both finished eating, he hurried to his feet and helped you stand, offering you his hand and turning the music up a little. "A little after-dinner exercise, _bella_?"

You blinked, smiling. "As long as it isn't the kind your big brother Francis tries to have."

He went a vibrant shade of red and pulled you closer, leading you into a slow dance. "Honestly, _bella_, I don't take after him all that much, you know!" He chuckled, spinning you about and leading you further from the table and out into the moonlight. "But I think I might make him jealous now, with you in my arms."

You laughed softly, shaking your head. "I'm not that good of a catch…" You teased, a flush tinting your cheeks as he hummed in the back of his throat and shook his head.

"You're the best kind of catch, _bella_… Because you're mine." He seemed to realize what he'd said, eyes shutting nervously as he tried to laugh it off. "I-if you want to be mine, I mean, I wouldn't presume to _make_ you be mine, like you said I'm not my big brother Francis, but-"

You caught him off a second time, but this time your kiss was to his lips, a laugh laced into the motion as you held him close. There was a magic in the air, out under the moon, making you a little lightheaded and more than a little brave (or maybe that was just the wine talking), but you didn't back down until he had started to kiss back, hesitant and slow at first but gaining confidence quickly. "Silly Feliciano. Of course I'll be yours."

He grinned, picking you up in his arms and spinning you about, earning himself a squeal of delight as he set you back down and kissed you again. "Wow! I should listen to Romano more often, if this is what it gets me…" He chuckled, holding your face in his hands and humming softly. "But he got one thing wrong— He said I'd need something else to make me happy, but he's wrong… All I really need is you." He pulled you close again, holding you to him and slowly dancing to the music, the both of you losing yourself in the still of the beautiful night.

_Oh, this is the night  
>And the heavens are right<br>On this lovely Bella Notte..._

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><p><em>Rest in the knowledge that I shall be doing more of these characters. Not all of them, probably, but most of them.<br>And I know this one is short, but so is the song, and so it Chibitalia, and no one seems to complain about either of those, so _ha!

_I would also like to take a moment to celebrate this stories 60th chapter *throws confetti* and say thank you to all of you who still read all the way right down to the end and still love me (or at least my this story) despite the craziness that I say. XD_

_So thank you all so much!_

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><p><em>The song "<em>Bella Notte" _belongs to: _Alan Menken

Hetalia and its related characters _belong to: _Hidekaz Himaruya


	61. So Sing Me A Love Song

_I'm not dead yet!_

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><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**You'd always liked scythes. The way they looked, felt, worked. You liked the weight and the skill that came from using them. They weren't like other blades or guns, they took a particular sort of finesse, and you liked that you could use them along with so many other Weapons. And Soul Eater Evans, with the bright smile and cool attitude, was no exception.**_  
><em>**

**_Pairing: _**Soul Eater Evans/Reader

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><p><em>The tension is thick in the air<br>Making it hard to see  
>I fear what is to come<br>And what will become of me  
>I say a prayer help me not run away<br>Will you please hold me..._

There had been moments in your life when you hadn't been sure you'd make it through in one piece. Times had been rough for you, growing up the way you did, but then you'd discovered what you were, what you could do, and things had become rough in a different way than before.

As a Meister, you could do things normal humans couldn't, but you were an odd one, able to attune your wavelength to whatever Weapon you happened to pick up. It was a handy trait to have, made it easier when you had to make up things as you went along, but for one reason or another, it made you feel like you couldn't really belong anywhere.

Even in Shibusen, where Meisters were in abundance, you were the odd one out. With the exception of a teacher or two, no one could shift wavelengths like you, and it made you feel… _Odd_.

"It's really nothing to worry about." Lord Death had told you one day over tea. "It just means you've got a knack for something no one else does. It's a good thing, really."

You wanted to believe him. You wanted to think that it made you stronger, made you a better fighter, but it was hard to think like that and still accept how different you were.

And then he came along.

You'd always liked scythes. The way they looked, felt, worked. You liked the weight and the skill that came from using them. They weren't like other blades or guns, they took a particular sort of finesse, and you liked that you could use them along with so many other Weapons. And Soul Eater Evans, with the bright smile and cool attitude, was no exception.

He had been assigned as your partner, no choosing involved, and you accepted him without a fight, knowing that even if your personalities clashed, your wavelengths would match perfectly. This was what you did, what you were good at, and it didn't matter what happened further down the road, you were his Meister now, and you would look after him.

And he, in turn, looked after you.

_You've never failed me before  
>Why do I feel betrayed<br>If I close my heart to you now  
>The darkness would have its way<br>I crave your voice. help me not fall away  
>Will you please hold me...<em>

Soul worked well for you, always doing as he was told, and you tried your best to always be there for him as well. You worked well together, efficient and easily the best team in Shibusen, but there was something under the surface, never quite out in the open, like Soul was trying to hide something from you that you couldn't see.

"What's gotten into you, anyway?" You asked one night, both sitting on the couch staring at the TV without really watching it. "You seem distant."

"You're imagining things." Soul replied without missing a beat, the way he always did when he wanted to change the subject to something less uncomfortable.

You weren't about to let him get away with it this time, though. "Soul, talk to me." You snatched up the remote and switched off the TV, removing his cover distraction. "What's the matter?"

"We've been doing a lot of higher level missions, lately." Soul managed after a moment or two of uncomfortable silence. "I'm worried about what might happen if we aren't careful."

"…Is this about your last partner?" You asked softly, remembering a name from a file you'd been shown in private. "What happened to her wasn't your fault, you know, you couldn't have—"

"She was my responsibility!" He snapped, glaring at you. "And I won't let anything happen to you either, alright? Now goodnight." He stood and stalked towards his bedroom, only stopping when you caught hold of his wrist. "What now?"

"I'm not going to let that happen." You spoke quietly, but your tone was firm. You meant it; you wouldn't let another tragedy befall the boy with silver hair. One was bad enough as it was. "But you can't shut me out, Soul; you have to trust me to know what's too much for me and what's not. I'm not a little kid."

He turned to look at you, a tired smile tugging at his lips. "No. You're a lot of things, but you're not that." He reached out and ruffled your hair, chuckling. "Alright, young lady, get to bed before I decide to tuck you in myself."

You flushed pink, releasing his wrist and doing an abrupt about-face, enjoying that thought perhaps a bit too much. There was an undeniable attraction there, his voice alone managed to make your heart pick up its heels, but you were willing to bet it was one-sided. Soul played his cards close to his chest, and you knew from experience that was the safest way to do anything.

So you kept your feelings to yourself, kept your curiosity in check and decided it didn't matter how you felt or if he felt the same. All that mattered was that you would look out for one another without fail.

_And sing me a love song again  
>Say the words that heal my heart<br>Sing me a love song and then  
>Let your words remind me who I am...<em>

"I'm so sorry." The words tumbled from Soul's lips for the thousandth time, like the more he said it the more it would help. "I'm so sorry… I'm so _sorry_."

You wanted to tell him to shut up, but you couldn't find the breath to do so. Something prodded you in the stomach, and you looked to see it was one of the broken bits of glass, still embedded into you from the explosion.

There wasn't supposed to be anyone else in the building. It was supposed to be a simple recon, but then. Well. Things had gotten complicated.

"I swore this wouldn't happen again. I promised…" Soul's voice died in his throat, face hidden in your shoulder as he held you close. "I won't lose you too." He held you tighter, voice coming out in beautiful broken notes as he sang to you, sang to fill the utter silence of the forest while you waited to be rescued.

You felt something wet slide against your cheek, and realized he was crying. You managed to extract his face from your shoulder, and put your forehead to his, smiling as best you could through the pain. "Keep singing." You mumbled, using the last little bit of breath you could muster to ask for that one little thing.

He did as you asked, voice cracking when he saw your eyes start to lose focus, or the color continue to drain from your face. He kept singing, even after help had arrived to take you both away. The song continued through the hospital and back into your home once you hobbled back in. The song never died, the words he spoke to you always lacing in with the music you could now here; the melody that held you both together.

_'Cause you are all I need  
>And all that I want is you with me<br>You are all I need  
>And all that I want is you with me...<em>

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><p><em>I know it took me forever to finally get this one done, and I am sorry. Please enjoy, and I hope to update soon.<em>

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><p><em>The song<em> "So Sing Me A Love Song" _belongs to: _Barlow Girl

Soul Eater and its related characters _belong to:_ Atsushi Okubo


	62. Liebe Ist (Love Is)

_Well, lookit that. Another update._

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><p><strong><em>Summary: -Human AU- <em>**And it didn't matter that the war was over, or that he hadn't been one of the Nazis. He was a soldier, he was _German_. And whenever he passed you in the hallways of the hostel, you wanted to scream. You had tried to see past his blue eyes, blond hair, and foreign accent. You had _tried_… But you never really succeeded.

**_Pairing:_** Ludwig (Germany)/Reader_  
><em>

**_Warning:_**Brief language. _(In German. Go figure.)_

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><p><em>Love doesn't want<br>Love doesn't fight  
>Love doesn't become<br>Love is  
>Love doesn't seek<br>Love doesn't ask  
>Love is like you are...<em>

You still remembered the war, what it had been like; you still remembered how torn your country had been because of it. The memories were all still there, fresh in your mind, and the first time you saw him, you felt the rage of thousands of innocent people start to burn inside your chest.

You wanted revenge for them, because they couldn't take it for themselves, you wanted to make at least one of them bleed for all the people you'd lost, all the loved ones who had died. You wanted to make him feel like you did.

And it didn't matter that the war was over, or that he hadn't been one of the Nazis. He was a soldier, he was _German_. And whenever he passed you in the hallways of the hostel, you wanted to scream. Your country was still ravaged by the war, still struggling back onto its feet, and his arrival was meant to be a peace offering, a hesitantly outstretched hand. He was a good mechanic, but that alone couldn't make his presence any easier for any of the people at the hostel.

As far as you and the rest of the refugees were concerned, he was still the enemy, and no amount of reassurances that he wasn't would change that view. You had tried to make peace with his presence. You had tried to see past his blue eyes, blond hair, and foreign accent. You had _tried_… But you never really succeeded.

The priest who ran the hostel had told you that the first step towards healing was to accept and love the new addition to your team. You had responded with a polite smile and a not so polite reply. You didn't want to love him. You wanted him to pay for what had happened.

_You and I that's quite surely  
>Like a wonderful deep rapture<br>Of the very special kind  
>And we have a right to<br>Keep meeting again and again  
>To keep looking at each other<br>When the big wide world calls  
>I'll surely go with you...<em>

When you actually met him, was one day when you had to deliver parts to the mechanic instead of the usual errand boy. You'd wanted to do anything but talk to the German, but the priest had given you a very particular look, the kind you did not argue with, and told you to take him the parts.

You didn't throw them, per say, but you certainly set them onto the table with more force than was necessary. It startled him, and he dropped the wrench he had been holding right onto his foot.

"_Shizer!__" _He hissed, doubling over to rub at his injured foot. When he caught sight of you, he looked surprised, and then flustered. "I apologize." He spoke quickly, his accent only a hint in the words. He bent to retrieve the wrench from the ground, not meeting your eye. "I didn't realize it was a lady who brought me the parts…"

The fact that he even thought to apologize for swearing in front of you was like a slap to the face. You'd never gotten to know him, so you had assumed he wasn't a gentleman in the slightest, but this… "No problem." You managed, staring at him without really meaning to. "The others were busy with something else, so I came instead."

He nodded once, taking a few careful steps closer to you and the box of parts. "Thank you. I promised the Father that I would fix this by noon." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the boiler, and you nodded mutely, trying to figure out why you weren't leaving already. "Is there something else you need?"

"No." You snapped, speaking more sharply than you had meant to. You noticed the way his face fell, clearly hurt by your tone, and you hurried to continue. "I never caught your name."

He smiled, and it was like the sun had come up. "Ludwig." He pulled off his work glove and held out his hand to you, eyes finally meeting yours.

You numbly shook his hand, introducing yourself, eyes unable to leave his. After a moment, you realized you were still shaking his hand, and you quickly tugged yours away, cheeks burning. "S-sorry, I won't take up any more of your time." You turned on your heel, hurrying off before you could catch what he said next.

"I don't mind the company…"

From then, the interactions became more commonplace, his smile always catching your eye from across the room, even when you tried to ignore it. And you would catch him looking at you, too, something that unnerved you a lot less than you thought it would have.

There was something about him, about the blue eyes, blond hair, and accent that made it hard to hate him, now that you knew his name. He wasn't just a faceless soldier, now. He had a name, had a personality, had more potential than you had given him credit for.

_Good night my marvelous one  
>And I'd still like to express my gratitude<br>What you did  
>What you said<br>It certainly wasn't easy for you  
>You think of me in complete love<br>And what you see only moves forward  
>You're courageous<br>You're smart  
>And I'll always be there for you<br>That I know for sure..._

You weren't sure who had suggested it, but the dance had somehow made it through the approval process and onto the schedule for the end of the month. The priest had put you in charge of organizing the whole affair, so you spent the better part of two weeks getting ready for it, finding all the decorations, bargaining for certain parts and pooling rations for others. You had decided you would have a party to remember, no matter what it took to get you there.

Balloons were out of the question, but you had some of the little children working on paper chains in different colors, and little flags to brighten up the room. You saw to it that there were plenty of refreshments, and you even managed to scrape together a cake on such short notice. You got together a band from the members at the hostel, discovering many of them were much more talented than you had first imagined.

Everything was set and ready before the dance ever came, and you felt proud over the fact that the hall you had set aside was pristine and perfect, all ready to go for the night in question.

Now all you needed was something suitable to wear, and a room full of people to enjoy the show you had put together. You wanted this night to be as perfect as possible, because it meant a lot to you to celebrate how far you had come after the war had finally ended.

And besides… _He'd_ be there.

You still weren't entirely sure how you felt about Ludwig, but you knew that you no longer hated him. There was something there, buried under the stereotypes that made him warm… And you were drawn to that like a moth to a flame.

So the night of the dance, you were there to greet everyone, smiling as brightly as you could manage. You made sure everything was in place, and then scanned the room for a certain blue-eyed blond.

You found him, sitting quietly in a corner nursing a beer, and had to wonder why he wasn't up on the dance floor with the others. Curiosity got the better of you, and you made your way across the room to him, smiling when you finally got to where he was sitting.

He smiled back at you, gesturing to the chair beside him. "You did a wonderful job, setting this up." He said, voice carrying over the music of the band.

"Thank you." You replied, feeling your cheeks warm at the compliment. "If I may, why aren't you dancing?"

He blinked; expression calm and a little distant. "None of your young ladies would dance with someone like me… I thought it better not to embarrass them by asking."

You stared at him, not having thought of that, and watched the floor clear from the last dance before the next one started. "Dance with me." It wasn't really phrased like a question, and you were as surprised as he was that those words had come out of your mouth.

"Ah, _Fräulein_, I don't think…"

"Don't be ridiculous." You cut him off, taking his beer and setting it onto the table before you pulled him to his feet and out onto the dance floor. "If I want to dance with a handsome mechanic, then I will."

He arched an eyebrow at you, the whole room going quiet as they saw what you were doing. "And if that mechanic, handsome or otherwise, is German? Doesn't that change things a little?"

You heard the music begin, and smiled as brilliantly as you could. "Yes. It means I'm the luckiest person here."

He laughed, the sound filling you with that same warmth you had sensed earlier, and you let it wash over you, drinking in the sound. He started off the dance, leading you around the room with a bright smile, his hands strong and warm where they held you close to him. "As am I, _Fräulein_."

You laughed, leaning up to kiss him as he led you into a turn, catching him and the rest of the room off guard. Whispers started to full the room, but you didn't care. You just kept following him, happy to do so for as long as he decided to lead.

_You and I we're like children  
>Who love each other the way they are<br>Who don't lie and don't ask  
>When there's nothing to ask<br>We are two and we are one  
>And we see things clearly<br>And when one of us must go  
>We are still always there...<em>

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><p><em>I toldja there would be more of them! :D<em>

_If any of you are wondering about song choice, I picked it because it is originally German, and I personally love the song._

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><p><em>The song "<em>Liebe Ist (Love Is)" _belongs to: _Nena

Hetalia and its related characters _belong to: _Hidekaz Himaruya


	63. Someone

_These fast updates are part apology, part me trying to get ahead before I get swamped with school again. XD_

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><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>** You were indebted to him, but it was more than that. He was a kind ruler, a wise king, and you had always wondered what he would be like in person. You doubted you would ever get the chance to meet him, dipping your head as you filed through the halls after the guards that led you along, but it was a nice thought.

**_Pairing:_** Pharaoh Atem (Yami Yugi)/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I dare you to love me<br>After all that I've done  
>I dare you to see past all the things<br>That I have become  
>I dare you to wash it all away<br>And forget where I've come from  
>'Cause maybe I could be<br>Someone..._

The palace gleamed in the sunlight, awash in pure gold rays, stealing your breath away before you ever even stepped inside its golden halls. You had always thought it to be beautiful, but being this close to it was something else entirely. The Pharaoh had offered your village refuge in the palace while you tried to rebuild, and the thought of sleeping under the same roof as him made your heart flutter more than just a little.

You were indebted to him, but it was more than that. He was a kind ruler, a wise king, and you had always wondered what he would be like in person. You doubted you would ever get the chance to meet him, dipping your head as you filed through the halls after the guards that led you along, but it was a nice thought.

You would have liked to show your gratitude to him, if only in words, and wished there was a way for you to tell him how you felt. Your entire village was indebted to him, not just you personally, but if someone was going to stand up and tell him… Well, why not let it be you?

You certainly had a lot to thank him for. His soldiers had been the ones to free you from the raiders, to help you on so many occasions before now. You had been a slave in your own village before the soldiers had come and driven the raiders out. You were free now, all thanks to the Pharaoh, and you wanted him to know how much you appreciated all that he had done.

With a little luck, you'd get your chance. You'd get to be that someone who stood up and told him how grateful you all were. With just a little luck…

_Across the room watching you  
>I do an impression<br>Of someone who is unafraid, resolute  
>Someone deserving of your pursuit<br>As I traveled the road became unraveled  
>Now I need to start this over...<em>

The Pharaoh had welcomed you all to dine with him in the banquet hall, each of you dressed in new, fresh clothes and bathed with scented oils that filled the air with spices. You were sitting at one of the long tables near the back of the hall, content to sit quietly and keep to yourself while the others looked around in awe and gossiped among themselves.

You stole glances at your host as he sat at the head table, talking with his advisors, a smile on his lips as he looked out over his gathered subjects, clearly pleased with what he saw.

You tried to keep your glances short, casual, but he was entrancing, and so hard to keep your eyes off. He was even more handsome than you had imagined, and when he laughed, the sound filled the room. His eyes were like two perfect amethysts; skin kissed so nicely by the sun, hair wild, and manner perfectly suited to his station.

He looked perfectly at ease in his seat at the table, lounging against the ornate table, listening closely to something one of his advisors was telling him in hushed tones. He glanced up, suddenly, catching your eye, and you felt your cheeks flame as you looked hurriedly away.

You didn't want him to know you were watching him, didn't even want him to know who you were. Things were better if you were invisible, because then… Then it wouldn't hurt when you realized all the other things you had wanted would never come true.

_Naked before you  
>Exposed in each scar a biography<br>With you I've a new life  
>I'll put on the new dress you bought for me...<em>

You hadn't been expecting company, especially not so late at night, but when a soft cough caught your attention, you turned towards the doorway to your room, pink when you caught sight of who was standing there.

"I am not bothering you, am I?" The Pharaoh looked different without all his usual adornments, the golden jewelry missing from his limbs, but he still had a regal air to him, all the same.

You bowed deeply, dropping to your knees as soon as it registered that you should. "N-no, my Pharaoh, you are not."

"Stand, please." His hands were warm as they landed on your shoulders, pulling you gently to your feet. "I came here tonight as another citizen, not your ruler…" He tilted your chin back up with a forefinger, smiling. "Call me Atem."

You looked anywhere but his face, a flush climbing up the back of your neck from his close proximity and bright smile. "What can I do for you?"

He realized you were uncomfortable and took a half-step back, still smiling as he looked around the interior of the room. "I wanted to see how you liked the room." He glanced back at you for a moment. "When I have guests, I want to know that the room is to their liking."

"Yes!" You blurted out quickly, finally managing to look up at him. "Yes, it's beautiful. Thank you so very much. For all that you have done." You glanced away again, uncomfortable under his gaze. "Thank you, on behalf of my village."

He chuckled, inclining his head. "Of course. What else would a king do, but protect his subjects?" He stepped closer again, noting the marks on your wrists for the first time. "What are these?" He asked, taking your hands in his and inspecting the marks that stood out from your skin.

"From shackles." You managed in a small voice, staring at the floor, ashamed of the memories that the marks told. "Before you helped us, there were barbarians who came to my village and took captives… I was one of them." You looked him in the eye, managing a smile. "Thank you for setting me free."

He surprised you with a tight embrace, heat flooding your cheeks as his warm arms wrapped around you, his voice soft and soothing in your ear. "I will do much more than that, I assure you." His fingers dug into the dress you had been given when you came here, pulling you even closer. "I will ensure you are never caged again."

Shyly, you returned the embrace, feeling your heart start to flutter in your chest. "You… You should not make a fuss over someone like me." You managed softly, closing your eyes and willing the moment to not end.

"Of course I should." He replied with a chuckle. "You will be great, by my side."

"What?" You pulled away as though he had burned you, eyes wide as your mouth hung open.

He looked genuinely taken aback, as though he had been expecting a very different reaction. "This is no chance meeting… I have heard of you before." He looked away, as though ashamed by his shady actions. "When I saw you in the banquet hall, I thought the gods had finally granted my wish… I have wanted to meet you for quite some time."

"But, why? I'm nobody!" You argued, face flushing from embarrassment.

He took your face in his hands, smiling. "But to me, you are someone." He drew you in closer, kissing your forehead. "I heard what you did, before my soldiers arrived, heard of all the captives you freed. You are much more than you realize."

"But, that was just…" You found yourself at a loss for words, unsure how you could argue with your _King_ of all people.

"Instinct?" He supplied, smiling. "Instincts like that deserve to have a chance to make changes." He took your hands in his again. "I said you would be free, and I intend to honor that promise. But should you stay, should you become my queen… We could do great things together." He took a step back, releasing your hands. "But, of course, the choice is yours."

You stared at him, conflicted, and finally let out a soft huff of laughter. "What sorts of great thing?"

_'Cause maybe I could be  
>Someone who won't cave under<br>Someone who can sing with the thunder  
>Someone who will leave their mark<br>On this world turned dark  
>I would shed your light<br>If I only had your love  
>Your life...<em>

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><p><em>I love this song so much. I just had to use it for him.<br>_

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><p><em>The song <em>"Someone" _belongs to: _Dirt Poor Robins

Yu-Gi-Oh! and its related characters _belong to: _Kazuki Takahashi


	64. Lullaby For A Stormy Night

_Song suggested by: _ToTheSkye

_Yes. I am now a fan. I regret nothing!_

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><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**There was a lump in the bed, blond hair splayed across the pillow, and you hesitated only a moment before another flash of lightning drove you to action, slamming the door and bolting for the bed, leaping onto it and the boy that was asleep under the covers. He was the only one who could make you forget about the storm outside.

**_Pairing:_**Commander Erwin Smith/Reader

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><p><em>Little child, be not afraid<br>The rain pounds harsh against the glass  
>Like an unwanted stranger<br>There is no danger  
>I am here tonight<br>Little child  
>Be not afraid<br>Though thunder explodes  
>And lightning flash<br>Illuminates your tearstained face  
>I am here tonight...<em>

You hid under the covers of your bed, shivering every time you heard the thunder rumble, and tried to pretend the storm outside didn't exist. You hated storms; they reminded you of when your father had gone missing, when your mother had taken off after the expedition outside the walls without stopping to think first.

Now, the rain was just a bad reminder of what you had lost, and how scared you still were about losing other people in your life too…

You bolted out from under the covers with the next roll of thunder, wrenching the door open and padding hurriedly down the hall to the last door on the left. You grabbed the handle, not even stopping to consider how he might react before you rushed inside.

There was a lump in the bed, blond hair splayed across the pillow, and you hesitated only a moment before another flash of lightning drove you to action, slamming the door and bolting for the bed, leaping onto it and the boy that was asleep under the covers.

"_Oof!_" The boy let out a grunt as you landed on him, rubbing at his eyes as he struggled out from under the covers and looked at you. "Huh? What're…?"

You burrowed under the covers before he could get out the rest of his question, hiding your face in a pillow and pointing at the window as way of answer.

"The storm…? Is that what all the fuss is about?" He let out a soft chuckle, sliding back under the covers and pulling you to him, rolling his eyes. "You're such a little child…"

"Sh-shut up, Erwin!" You grumbled, pretending you didn't enjoy his teasing. "You're only a year older, you know…"

"Yeah, but I'm not scared of storms." He pointed out, tucking himself back under the covers, peering at you in the gloom of his room. He reached out and gently wiped at the tears that you hadn't been able to keep back, his thumb stroking over your cheeks. "Jeez, you're just lucky I don't mind you coming in here in the middle of the night…"

You shuddered with another rattling of the window, putting all your attention on his bright eyes. "You like the company, don't lie."

He chuckled, ruffling your hair before he rolled over onto his back, closing his eyes once more. "Just get some sleep, okay?"

You shifted closer, close enough to feel his warmth, and shut your eyes, listening to his breathing and struggling to ignore the storm outside. Erwin was there, right there, right where he'd be all night.

_Little child  
>Be not afraid<br>The storm clouds mask your beloved moon  
>And its candlelight beams<br>Still keep pleasant dreams  
>I am here tonight<br>Little child  
>Be not afraid<br>The wind makes creatures of our trees  
>And the branches to hands<br>They're not real, understand  
>And I am here tonight...<em>

You hadn't even made it to bed before you started to cry again, four years older and still scared of the storms, you ran straight to the one boy who could make it all okay, clinging to him when he turned around at your call, hiding your face in his shirt.

"Again?" His voice was gentle, the tone accepting as he stroked your hair and held you close. "Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?"

You nodded, holding onto him more tightly as a tree branch scrabbled against the window like desperate fingers of a hungry beast.

"The trees can't hurt you, you know." He continued, noticing your reaction. "They're just trying to come inside to say hello. That's all." You chuckled, letting him pull you away far enough to take your hand and lead you down the hall to his bedroom. "They probably hate the storm as much as you do."

You followed him into the room, crawling up into the bed and pulling the covers up over your head. He chuckled, getting changed for bed, and then crawled in beside you. "We have to do something about this… You're getting too old to sleep in here."

"Am not!" You argued, poking your head up out of the covers high enough to glare at him. "I'll never be too old for that!"

He looked genuinely embarrassed for a moment before he rolled his eyes and ruffled your hair, quickly covering his unease. "Whatever you say, kid."

You grumbled quietly before the thunder growled outside again, shaking the house. You shot across the bed to cling to his arm, hiding your face against his shoulder. "Please say I'll never be too old for this. I don't want to sleep on my own in a storm. It'll be scary."

There was a smile in his words when he next spoke, his tone gentle. "Of course you won't ever be too old. Now come on, get some sleep… Pleasant dreams."

You smiled, forgetting the storm for a moment. "Pleasant dreams, Erwin."

_For you know, once even I  
>Was a little child<br>And I was afraid  
>But a gentle someone always came<br>To dry all my tears  
>Trade sweet sleep for fears<br>And to give a kiss goodnight  
>Well, now I am grown<br>And these years have shown  
>Rain's a part of how life goes<br>But it's dark and it's late  
>So I'll hold you and wait<br>'til your frightened eyes do close..._

You shot up straight in bed, the thunder shaking the entire barracks as it rumbled in the night, the rain beginning to tap against the roof before it grew into an utter downpour. You tried to block it out, to pretend it was nothing, but you couldn't. Even after all these years, after all the training to become part of the military, storms still reminded you of everything you had lost… Of everything you _could_ lose.

You were up out of your bunk with the next roll of thunder, desperation making you move without thinking, hurrying out of the barracks, into the storm, and straight to where you knew a gentle someone was sleeping.

Commander in the Survey Corps or not, Erwin was still the only one who had made the storms bearable for you over the years, even after you had moved out of his family's home and gotten a place of your own.

You were soaking wet by the time you got to the building you knew he was in, taking the hallways at a breakneck speed, the lightning like a whip crack in the night, urging you to move faster, faster, _faster_.

You rounded another corner, and pushed the door open without stopping to think about it first, closing it behind you with a snap, glancing about the room before you caught sight of a familiar mop of golden hair splayed across the pillow of his bed.

Another shudder ran through the building as the thunder roared outside, and you shot to the bed, clambering under the covers, dripping clothes and all.

Erwin yelped from the sudden cold, shooting up in bed as he whipped his head around to stare at you. "What're…?" He stopped as another flash of lightning outside showed your expression, eyes wide and frightened. "Still afraid?" He asked; voice suddenly softer, soothing to your frantic heart and mind.

You nodded, covering your ears as the thunder continued. You closed your eyes, jumping when a warm hand landed on your shoulder. You looked up at him again, catching sight of the soft smile and kind eyes as the lightning illuminated them for a split second. "Am I too old for this?" You asked without meaning to, the question one you had always feared the answer to.

He blinked, surprised, and then laughed, pulling you to him, bundling you up in his arms. "I thought I told you, you'll never be too old for this." Erwin pulled back, still smiling. "I'll always hold you through the night, if that's what you need." He offered you a shy grin, suddenly abashed. "Of course, there doesn't have to be a storm outside, for that offer to remain…"

You felt your face flush, opening your mouth to respond when another crack of thunder made you jump and hide your face in his shoulder, eliciting a laugh from the Commander. "I wouldn't mind that…" You whispered into his ears, tightening your hold on him.

He hummed, kissing your shoulder. "Neither would I… Now then, let's get you out of those wet clothes… Can't have you catching cold, now can we?" He teased, a grin tugging at his lips.

You felt your face flush even brighter, the storm outside suddenly vanishing, to be replaced by a clear sky of blue, the same color of his eyes.

_And I hope that you'll know  
>That nature is so<br>This same rain that draws you near me  
>Falls on rivers and land<br>And forests and sand  
>Makes the beautiful world that you see<br>In the morning  
>Everything's fine in the morning<br>The rain will be gone in the morning  
>But I'll still be here in the morning...<em>

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><p><em>I know a lot of people probably don't think about Erwin being a so-called "Eligible Bachelor" (then again, I did use Maes Hughes, even though he's technically taken, so no one should be surprised here), but I personally love him. So. Here ya go. I also love this song. Thank you <em>ToTheSkye_ for suggesting it!_

_I think it's very fitting that he start off the Attack on Titan rampage that will inevitably happen, because oh my word, this series. All the characters. All the feels. All the love._

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><p><em>The song <em>"Lullaby For A Stormy Night" _belongs to: _Vienna Teng

Attack on Titan and its related characters _belong to: _Hajime Isayama


	65. Tea Cup

_Song suggested by: _Methodical Madness

_I have no idea why he was so troublesome. But he was._

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><p><em><strong>Summary: -Human AU-<strong> _Finally, the door opened, one of them stumbled in (evidently pushed by the other), and then the door slid shut again, leaving you and the new arrival alone. You gaped, unable to keep your jaw hinged properly as realization washed over you. This cute little brunette, with the wide brown eyes and pleasant voice, was the boy your parents wanted you to marry.

_**Pairing:** _Kiku Honda (Japan)/Reader

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><p><em>Unintentionally, I hold you and your shoulders are so warm<br>"I want to stay like this forever" I whisper in your ear  
>You nod slightly, and smile in embarrassment<br>Today, let's make this an afternoon for just us two, just like this..._

You had always imagined arranged marriages were the worst fate possible to be inflicted upon a young couple. They were archaic, appalling, and abysmal— everything you didn't want for your wedding. You wanted to fall hopelessly in love, have a perfect wedding, and spend the rest of your life with the love of your life…

But your parents were taking all that away from you.

The arrangement between your families had been made even before you were born, but that only served to make it seem even more like a death sentence than anything. You'd never met the boy, never even seen a picture of him, and they expected you to just go along with everything like you were supposed to?

_As if!_

You were currently having a mental (as an actually one would have gotten you _nowhere_) argument with your parents over the injustice of your situation and how terrible of a plan this whole thing was, alone in one of the sitting rooms of the sprawling estate that belonged to _his_ parents.

The estate was lovely, you would admit, but even the view of the traditional garden outside the room was not enough to calm your broiling emotions. You wanted to throw something, preferably something very breakable, and throw a tantrum because _how could they—_

Your mental tirade came to a screeching halt as you heard a whispered argument break out behind one of the sliding doors to your left. The door, you knew, led deeper into the house, but the two arguers were speaking too softly for you to overhear them.

Finally, the door opened, one of them stumbled in (evidently pushed by the other), and then the door slid shut again, leaving you and the new arrival alone.

You stared at him, taking in his appearance and manner quickly. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in the world, just then, and you couldn't really blame him.

"G-good afternoon." He managed after a pause, bowing to you. "My name is Kiku… I believe, you are my betrothed."

You gaped, unable to keep your jaw hinged properly as realization washed over you. This cute little brunette, with the wide brown eyes and pleasant voice, was the boy your parents wanted you to marry.

"May I sit with you?" He asked, his voice evening out and losing the stammer from before. He looked a little more confident, waiting patiently for you to respond.

"O-of course!" You managed to squeak out, finally dragging your jaw back up off the floor. You offered him a bright smile as he sat next to you. "I hadn't realized I'd be meeting you today."

"My parents didn't tell me, either." He said, chuckling nervously. "I'm sorry if I surprised you."

"Oh, no, it's alright." You laughed his discomfort away, waving dismissively. "Really, don't worry about it."

He inclined his head, pausing a moment before he motioned towards the wall behind you. "Would you like some tea?"

"Oh, yes!" You hurried to stand, losing your footing half-way to your feet, and careening off to your left.

He caught you before you ever hit the floor, a laugh slipping past his lips as you stared up at him, your cheeks tinting pink. "Careful…" He whispered, holding you a little more tightly as he helped you to your feet.

You marveled at how warm he was, how quickly he had moved in order to catch you. "Thank you…" You managed; trying to find a place to look that was not into his eyes. "Sorry, I can be a real klutz sometimes."

"Well, I suppose that's good to know now." He teased; his smile no more than a suggestive upward tilt to his mouth, but still somehow genuine. "I'd like to learn more, if you don't mind staying… I have all afternoon free, if you'd like to just take some time, just the two of us...?"

You smiled back, nodding. "I'd like that."

_The first time I touched you, I felt the same wind  
>Our lonely and broken hearts, will guide us...<em>

Kiku was infinitely different from everything you had been expecting. You'd assumed, since his parents were the ones who had really started this whole thing, that he would be like them… But he wasn't. He was kind, soft spoken, and genuinely fun to be around.

You loved spending time with him, found he had a great sense of humor, and even got to laugh about your situation again and again. Kiku made you happy, made you feel like maybe this was where you belonged… Right here, with him, simply enjoying life.

"Why did your parents arrange this marriage, anyway?" You asked one afternoon, when the two of you had managed to get away from the rest of the group in order to actually talk to one another without someone else listening in.

"My father would say it was simply business…" He responded, not quite meeting your eye. "Mother claims the same, but I know it is something else… She wants me to be happy, to have a life she couldn't, but she couldn't tell my father no. So she picked a family she knew would raise their children well." He smiled. "To be honest, I was afraid that she would have judged incorrectly."

"Well, I'm not a whole lot like my parents." You admitted, chuckling to yourself over the comparison. "But you're not really like yours either, so I guess we're nicely matched after all."

He laughed at that, the sound unexpected and bright. "I'll take that as a compliment." He smiled at you, expression softening the longer he continued to look at you. "I think we are matched _very_ well."

_I hold you, embracing you in my warmth  
>No matter when or where you are, I want to love you<br>All of you, for always..._

The outings with just the two of you became more frequent, to your great satisfaction. It was almost as if his parents had been testing the waters with you two before they let you swim out on your own. It was understandable, you had to admit, to keep an eye on the betrothed pair before letting them spread their proverbial wings all on their own.

Now that you weren't being hounded by other people, though, Kiku had become more open with his affections. Society dictated that he not be overtly affectionate in public, but when the two of you found yourselves in blissful solitude, he would pull you into his arms and simply hold you, keeping you safe and warm.

"Is it strange that I don't mind our situation being arranged, anymore?" He asked one day, when the two of you were in the shade of a tall willow, eating a picnic his mother had made for you.

"No…?" You replied, arching an eyebrow at him. "Unless, of course, there's something strange in me feeling the same way."

He chuckled, holding onto you a little more tightly. "No, there's nothing strange in that."

"To be honest, I think I like it better this way…" You admitted with a shrug, careful not to dislodge his arms from around your shoulders. "If our parents hadn't pulled this on us, then we never would have met… I never would have fallen for you."

"Fallen for me?" He repeated, shifting so he could look you in the eye, a faint stain of pink filling his cheeks. "As in…?"

You leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss against those stumbling lips of his, chuckling. "As in."

_Standing shoulder to shoulder with you at the window, we watched the sunset  
>Let's keep walking together forever, just like this...<em>

You took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then took another. It hadn't helped with your nerves any, so you tried again.

Still nothing.

You growled softly and started to pace, sighing when that didn't work either. Nothing seemed to be able to calm your frantic heart, or your over-active imagination.

The wedding was today, everything had been prepared and set out, everything was ready, _perfect_… Except the bride-to-be.

You felt like your heart was trying to run the Kentucky Derby right out of your chest, and your brain wouldn't shut up long enough for you to think properly.

Wedding nerves were normal, your mother had said, they were nothing to worry about… Except that, of course, that was _exactly_ what you were doing. It wasn't your fault that you hadn't been expecting all these people to show up, or for your first time dressed for the occasion to be the occasion itself.

Weren't there typically rehearsals, or something?

You sighed, finding the closest chair and slumping into it. That was it. You were calling the whole thing off. Kiku would understand, he was probably just as…

"Hello?" A knock on the door followed the word, and the handle gave a slight turn before the door swung inward slightly. "Are you in there?"

You jumped up and rushed to the door, stopping yourself from slamming it only because you saw his fingers curl around the edge as he peered inside. "You're not supposed to see me yet!" You spoke in a rush, trying to think of a way to make him leave that was more substantial than that.

"I wasn't planning to look… I just wanted to know how you were doing." He replied, staying right where he was. "Everything alright?"

"…No?" You managed, your voice wavering a little. "I'm just so nervous! I'm afraid I'll mess up, or say something wrong, or…"

Before you quite had time to register it, you were being held gently in the same warm arms that you knew so well. "_Baka_." He whispered into your ear, the tone affectionate. "You won't say anything _wrong_. You'll do just fine."

"But, what if—" You began.

"No." He kissed your temple. "Nothing will go wrong. Everything will be perfect. We'll walk out of here today, married, and we will begin our own journey together."

You felt your eyes start to prickle with tears, holding onto him tightly. "You promise?"

He pulled back far enough to look you in the eye, wiping at your eyes gently, a small smile playing over his lips. "I promise."

_Overflowing tears and this sadness, I withstand it all  
>Don't cry alone anymore, because I'll be right here beside you...<em>

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><p><em>The song "<em>Tea Cup" _belongs to: _Gackt

Hetalia and its related characters _belong to: _Hidekaz Himaruya


	66. Get Back

_Song/Character combo requested by: _ToTheSkye

_Thank you for being so patient!_

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><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**You always missed him when you fought, always wanted things to go back the way they were meant to be, but this time… This time, you didn't think he would ever come back. This time it was for good.

**_Pairing:_**Jaden Yuki/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Don't walk away like you always do, this time.<br>Baby, you're the only thing that's been on my mind.  
>Ever since you left, I've been a mess...<em>

You sat by the window and watched the car pull out of the driveway, the rain falling as if on your behalf, because you were still too angry to cry, too hurt to see past the rage that made you shake as you sat on the window seat and watched him leave.

_Again._

Part of you spoke of all the other times this had happened, of all the other times he'd come back and never stayed away more than a day or two, because you two couldn't be apart… But you knew this time was different.

This time you'd said things that were so much harsher than the others, that went so much deeper and stung so much more strongly. This time there had been wounds opened that you knew would likely never heal. This time it was for good. He wouldn't come back now, not after all the things you'd said, the things you'd done.

You were a mess in a manner of minutes, curled up under the covers of your bed, trying not to cry, because the pain had finally overridden the anger, and you realized that you _missed him_.

You always missed him when you fought, always wanted things to go back the way they were meant to be, but this time… This time, you didn't think he would ever come back.

This time it was for good.

_Don't look at me that way; I see it in your eyes.  
>Don't worry about me, I've been fine<br>I'm not gonna lie, I've been a mess  
>Since you've left...<em>

You had the weekend to sob your heart out to your pillows and wish the world away, but once Monday rolled back around, you had to go to school and see him in the hallways, see his smile and hear his laugh when he sat with his friends.

You'd catch him looking at you, out of the corner of his eye, but when you looked his way, he'd hide his face, like nothing had happened. Like he hadn't walked away from you again, and left without an explanation.

"What's going on with you and Jaden?" Alexis asked one day at lunch, noticing the way you were staring at the brunette at the other table.

"Oh, nothing!" You lied easily, smiling as brightly as you could. "Just a little squabble— nothing serious."

She didn't push the subject, but her eyes narrowed, and you knew she could see right through you. Lies would only get you so far, you knew, but you were willing to risk it if it meant keeping yourself from sobbing every time he walked in a room.

You'd given him your heart, and he'd given you nothing but heartache.

_You were the only one I wanted  
>You were the first one I fell for<br>You're the only one that I'm in need of  
>And I don't want to be lonely anymore...<em>

After a month apart, you tried to move on.

You tried to date other boys and have fun with your girlfriends, but nothing was quite the same. It was like there was a whole in the middle of your chest, and nothing could fill it; even when you lied to yourself and said it had gotten better. Because then you'd see him, his smile, his eyes, catch him in a duel, and you were lost all over again. He was still the only boy to ever steal your heart.

You acted as though it didn't matter, as though everything were just fine, but no one was convinced by your lie… Not even you. But you kept on peddling it, hoping that eventually it would be true; that eventually you _wouldn't_ feel alone anymore.

But then Jaden went and did a really dumb thing… He asked out Alexis, and even if you hadn't been good friends, asking out another girl in front of your ex broke about fifty relationship-rules, and not even _Jaden_ could have been so dense as to not know that.

_I wanna get back  
>To the old days<br>when the phone would ring  
>and I knew it was you.<br>I wanna talk back  
>And get yelled at<br>Fight for nothing  
>Like we used to...<em>

"I mean, I told him no…" Alexis was sitting with you on campus, sprawled out under a tree, enjoying the shade while you ate lunch.

"It's fine." You shrugged, painting on a smile. "I mean, if you wanna go out with him, there's nothing stopping you."

"Yes there is!" She argued back. "You two are meant to be together! I mean, I don't usually buy into that soul-mate stuff, but you're so good when you're together!"

"We fought!" You laughed. "We fought so much!"

"But you always made up again." Her tone was patient, as though explaining to a preschooler what was going on. "This being apart isn't good for you. Syrus has mentioned that Jaden can't sleep at night, because he's so worried about you. You lie to the rest of the school, but we all know that you're heartbroken… Just go tell him how you feel!"

"I can't just—" You stopped mid-sentence, catching sight of who was walking up the hill toward where you were sitting.

Syrus was half-shoving Jaden along, the brunette clearly wanting to be anywhere else in the world right now. Jaden had his hands stuffed in his pockets, head bent, and Syrus was cheering him on quietly.

"You totally planned this, didn't you?" You stared at Alexis, eyebrows winging up your forehead.

"You'll thank me later." She smiled, standing up and moving off toward the boys. She gave Jaden a swift clap on the back and then kept walking, waving to you both as she and Syrus beat a hasty retreat.

"So, ah, I think I should probably explain…" Jaden began, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't." You snapped, all the hurt and anger you had been shoving down for the past few months bubbling back up again. "Don't even try to explain yourself, you selfish, self-centered little—"

He dragged you to your feet in one swift motion, kissing you hard before you could make another sound. He held you tightly, even when you tried to get away and slap him, holding you until you calmed back down and melted into the kiss.

You'd missed this, _missed him_, so much you could feel relief wash over you like a cool wave, all the tension and anger you'd been holding in suddenly vanishing again.

He pulled back slowly, cheeks tinted with color as he looked you in the eye, his smile shy and uncertain. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it." You snapped, not quite letting go of him. "I expect a full explanation… After a few dozen more kisses."

He grinned. "Does that mean you forgive me?"

"Ask me again after the kisses." You smiled, dragging him in again.

_Oh kiss me  
>Like you mean it<br>Like you miss me  
>'Cause you know you do<br>I wanna get back  
>Get back, with you...<em>

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><p><em><em>The song <em>"_Get Back_" _belongs to: __Demi Lovato

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX and its related characters _belong to:_ Naoyuki Kageyama


	67. Lullaby

_I honestly didn't think I'd find a song for him... And then I found this one. XD_

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><p><strong><em>Summary<em>**: It was then that you met him, the doctor with the scars and the slightly crazed eyes. You liked the look of him, liked the way he talked and thought, and fought… Liked that you could feel a madness in him just like yours.

**_Pairing:_**Dr. Franken Stein/Reader

**_Warning_**: Mentions of self-harm & brief language

* * *

><p><em>Well, everybody's hit the bottom<br>Everybody's been forgotten  
>When everybody's tired of being alone<br>Yeah, everybody's been abandoned  
>And left a little empty-handed<br>So if you're out there barely hanging on..._

Shibusen had been your last resort, the last glimmer of hope at the end of a long, hard road. You hadn't ever planned to actually take Lord Death up on his offer, preferring to act as free-lance and work by yourself, but there was something in the offer… Something in the way he had spoken that made you consider the warmth and comfort of safe walls and eyes without judgment. It would be nice to have a place to belong; somewhere to call home, somewhere to return to once you had finished another mission…

It would be nice to not be alone any longer.

You gave it a great deal of thought, of course, before you ever actually went to Lord Death and accepted his terms. There were no restrictions on your movements, no cell with your name on it, no demands that you stop your free-lancing. All he wanted was to give you a home, give you a little hope, to let you know there were people who could help you, who _would_ help you, if you asked for it. If you wanted it.

His only real requirement was that you take a Meister, someone to keep you in check and look after you while you stayed in Shibusen. Someone to help you train and get used to being surrounded by people again. Someone to help you go off souls, after so long of devouring them.

Death Scythes, after all, had a certain self-image to keep in place.

It was then that you met him, the doctor with the scars and the slightly crazed eyes. You liked the look of him, liked the way he talked and thought, and fought… Liked that you could feel a madness in him just like yours.

_Well, I know the feeling  
>Of finding yourself stuck out on the ledge<br>And there ain't no healing  
>From cutting yourself with the jagged edge<br>I'm telling you that, it's never that bad  
>Take it from someone who's been where you're at<br>Laid out on the floor  
>And you're not sure you can take this anymore...<em>

"I know you're not used to company, but I hope you won't find me too intrusive of a roommate." Stein had invited you into his house, into his life, without batting an eye.

You knew he could see souls, knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he could see yours, see the scars it held, but he had still offered you a helping hand. "I don't mind." You answered, when you realized he was waiting for a reply.

He smiled, giving the gear in his head a few slow turns. "Good to know. Why don't you get settled in, and I'll make tea? Your room is down the hall, second on the left."

You left him boiling water in beakers and slipped down the hall, knuckles white with the strain of holding onto the handle of your bag. The room was nice, uncluttered, and you let out a sigh of relief that the scars covering the rest of the house hadn't managed to make it here just yet.

You took your time setting out your things around the room, not quite sure what to do with yourself when in Stein's presence. Eventually, though, you made your way back to the front room, aware that it was rude to keep your host waiting.

Stein handed you a beaker of tea and plopped down onto one of the sofas, motioning you to sit opposite him. You did so tentatively, feeling the overwhelming urge to run start to wash over you. There was another lecture coming, you could feel it, could feel your heart pick up its pace at the mere thought of someone else yelling at you to…

"Lord Death told me about what happened to you." Stein began in a quiet voice, looking into his tea. "Most people wouldn't be able to live through that… I applaud your perseverance."

You stared at him, jaw going slack. No one had ever called you _brave_… Not even in as roundabout way as that.

"By the way." He sat up a little straighter, smiling brightly. "Blood's really not a problem to get out of my floors— it's why I have this kind in particular… And if you ever cut a little too deep, I'll stitch you up again." He paused, watching your eyes start to fill with tears before he inclined his head in a nod, as though accepting whatever you had just given him. "It's not a pleasant place to be on your own… I know."

You dipped your head, staring at the beaker of tea. Of all the Meisters on the planet to be yours, you ended up with the crazy one with a bleeding heart. "Thank you." You mumbled, not sure what else to say.

"Of course, if you ever feel like having someone else take a knife to your skin, I'd be happy to oblige…" You snapped your head up in time to catch sight of his wide leer. "You have such _lovely_ skin, after all."

You gulped, remembering in sudden detail all the stories you had heard about Dr. Franken Stein and his experiments. You offered him a watery chuckle and nodded. "Deal."

_So just give it one more try to a lullaby  
>And turn this up on the radio<br>If you can hear me now  
>I'm reaching out<br>To let you know that you're not alone  
>And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell<br>'Cause I can't get you on the telephone  
>So just close your eyes<br>Oh, honey here comes a lullaby  
>Your very own lullaby...<em>

Fighting with Stein, when you were both working together, was one of the most thrilling experiences of your life. He could match your wavelength perfectly; complement your style and strengths, make you ten times better than you ever were on your own. When you resonated souls, you felt complete, _whole_, for the first time in a long time.

And life with him, mundane and simple, was just as comfortable. You could watch him grade papers or write tests for his class, you could pretend you had always been this stable, this normal, this whole.

It wasn't perfect, not by a longshot, but it was something. Something that was yours, something that felt good. Something you didn't have to give up or share.

And you still had nights where you found yourself curled up in a corner, hiding from the rest of the world, but those nights were also full of quiet reassurances and golden eyes hidden behind silver bangs.

Stein wouldn't let you suffer alone, either because of orders or genuine concern, and when you hid, he came to find you. Whatever the reason behind it, you appreciated the sentiment, and never stopped him from helping you claw your way back out of whatever pit you had fallen into at the time.

He didn't give you empty pep-talks like the others, he simply sat with you in your room and kept you company. He didn't try to tell you to get over it, or just deal with the pain; if he talked at all it was about his latest experiment, or what the kids had managed to do correctly in class, something to take your mind off the hole in your stomach and the pit you were being swallowed up in.

The night he first touched you while you were hiding, you thought you might start sobbing all over again, because it was so gentle, so careful, as though you might shatter into a million pieces under his touch.

"I called for you." His voice was soft, its own lullaby to your raging thoughts. "Why didn't you answer?" The question was rhetorical, he knew the scalpel was missing from his surgery, could see it by your feet on the floor, could probably smell the blood in the air. "I could have helped."

It was your turn to not talk, to keep silent and not look at him, because you didn't want to see the disappointment in his eyes, didn't want to face what always came next— the lectures and restrictions, the ignorance over what this did to you…

He picked up the scalpel, tucking it into the pocket of his lab coat, sitting beside you silently, pulling your arm gently away from your knees and inspecting the damage. "These will heal just fine. No scars. You won't even need stitches." He slipped his arm around your shoulders, turning over your other arm to see the marks you had made there too. "I'll say this once, and then I'll be quiet about it… Doing this, it leaves marks on your soul. I see them. Even when you hide from me, I can tell when you've been hurting yourself." His voice dropped an octave, the light, silly tone from before gone now. "Those won't heal. I can't stitch them back together, no one can. Your flesh heals and knits back together; it is created to do that… But your soul needs protecting. Needs to be treated gently."

"How many are there?" You asked softly, morbid curiosity getting the better of your for a moment. "Can you see them all?"

"Just one— it grows, when you do this." He replied. "There's one jagged scar that runs across the surface, spreading whenever you fall back into this routine."

"What happens if it keeps growing?" You still couldn't meet his eye, but you managed to turn towards him a little, to lean into him as he continued to hold you gently.

"It will tear you apart." The reply was immediate and harsh, the reality of it meant to give weight to his earlier warning. "I can help. And who knows, it might be an interesting experiment to see if one can heal the scars of a soul…" He caught your chin in one hand, lifting your face until your eyes met his. "Shall we try it?"

You took a breath, staring up into his eyes and wondering about all the things that could happen, all the things that could go wrong… And then you caught the scent of blood still lingering in the air, and your resolve cemented itself in your chest, a steady beat that matched your heart, made it stronger. "Let's start the experiment, Doctor."

_Please let me take you  
>Out of the darkness and into the light<br>'Cause I have faith in you  
>That you're gonna make it through another night<br>Stop thinking about the easy way out  
>There's no need to go and blow the candle out<br>Because you're not done  
>You're far too young<br>And the best is yet to come..._

* * *

><p><em>Fluffy angst is totally acceptable, right?<em>

* * *

><p><em>The song<em> "Lullaby" _belongs to: _Nickelback

Soul Eater and its related characters _belong to:_ Atsushi Okubo


	68. Hero

__Song/Character combo requested by: The Phantom Of The Labyrinth_  
><em>

_I hope you find the wait for this totally worth the finished product._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: -Human AU- <em>**Almost at once you were caught up in the flood of cosplayers and swept away in the tide, losing your friends. You managed to extract yourself from the crowd just about the time you saw your friends go into the elevator, all furiously texting to find you and tell you where the room was. "Hey, can I help you out?" A voice caught your attention, cutting through the rest of the jabbering that filled the lobby. "You look a little lost."

**_Pairing:_**Alfred F. Jones (America)/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I'm no Superman<br>I can't take your hand  
>And fly you anywhere<br>You want to go  
>I can't read your mind<br>Like a billboard sign  
>And tell you everything<br>You want to hear, but..._

You'd never been to San Diego before, and certainly never for an event like this, but when your friends had told you they had tickets and then promptly dragged you off for the weekend, you didn't really have a choice.

Comic-Con was one of the biggest events of the year, and it was certainly the highlight of yours, and you considered yourself incredibly lucky to have gotten the chance to come out for the full weekend and just enjoy the show. You'd already picked out all the panels you wanted to go to, the autographs you wanted to collect, and every character you would be for the event in question.

The drive out to the event wasn't too bad, to be honest, but you were crammed in a car with your friends, all singing the lyrics to your favorite songs at the top of your lungs and acting like you didn't care… And for the most part, you didn't. This was your fling for the year, your daring adventure into the unknown, and none of you could wait to get the party started.

The hotel wasn't hard to find (especially not with a very skinny Superman directing traffic toward the towering building), and within no time you were pulling the bags from the trunk and slinging your lanyards around your necks as you trooped into the lobby and took in the brilliance that was Comic-Con.

Almost at once you were caught up in the flood of cosplayers and swept away in the tide, losing your friends. You managed to extract yourself from the crowd just about the time you saw your friends go into the elevator, all furiously texting to find you and tell you where the room was.

"Hey, can I help you out?" A voice caught your attention, cutting through the rest of the jabbering that filled the lobby. "You look a little lost."

You turned, ready to knock some sense into whatever geek was trying to chat you up, but you merely stared when you saw him. "Oh, um, yeah. I got separated from my friends."

He smiled, blue eyes crinkling up at the corners as he gestured to your lanyard. "May I?"

You nodded mutely, still trying to get past the Indiana Jones outfit and the adorable smile he was wearing. You held out the badge for him to look at, noticing only then that his read _Volunteer_ in bold letters across the bottom. "You work here?" You asked.

"Oh, yeah." He laughed. "I can't make it if I come as a guest, way too pricy, but Volunteering is loads of fun." He motioned to your abandoned baggage. "Want me to help you to your room? You're on the eighth floor."

You laughed, nodding. Had he been any old guest like you, you probably wouldn't even have considered letting him take you to your room, but a Volunteer was different. Besides, who could say no to that smile.

"Are you staying for the weekend?" He asked once you were in the elevator. "I only ask because there's this big party at the end!" He hurried to add, realizing how that must have sounded. "I mean, it's a big deal and it's a lot of fun, so you shouldn't miss it, if you can manage it."

"That sounds like fun." You giggled as the doors opened, depositing you onto your floor. You double-checked the text from Kiku, since he was the one who had made the plans for this thing in the first place, and picked up your bags. "I think I can manage from here, thanks… Oh, but I never caught your name!"

"Alfred." He laughed, offering you his hand. "Alfred F. Jones."

You shook his hand, grinning. "Nice to meet you, Alfred F. Jones."

_Searching high and low  
>Trying every road<br>If I see your face  
>I'll barely know<br>I'll put my trust in fate  
>That you will come my way<br>And if it's right  
>It's undeniable, yeah...<em>

You spent the better part of that first day just taking in the Con in all its splendor. There were too many panels for you to see them all, and you had to get shopping in there somewhere, so you made compromises.

You went to a panel in the morning, munching on a bagel while you sat through the obligatory fan questions and the outrageous answers, and followed it with a bout of shopping through the stalls that had set up shop for the weekend.

Part of you kept hoping to catch sight of Alfred again, and you'd be lying if you said you weren't secretly keeping an eye out for him the whole time you were sneaking through the aisles of the vendor's hall.

"Who are you looking for?" Kiku finally asked, watching you do a double-take when you saw another Indi (but not _the_ Indi).

"Huh? What?" You looked back at him. "Oh, no one. Really." You waved off his comment with a flick of your wrist. "Just thought I saw someone I knew."

"Was it that cute boy from yesterday?" Feliciano asked, popping up, the Italian's close proximity making Kiku flinch away.

"What cute boy from yesterday?" Ludwig boomed from behind you, his voice cutting through the jabber around you as if it weren't even there.

"The cute boy, dressed like Indiana Jones." Feliciano grinned. "And he _was_ really cute." He teased.

"Oh, shut-up!" You snapped at him. "He just showed me to the room, okay, it's not like…" You trailed off, catching sight of a bright smile and blue eyes across the hall from you. "Whoa."

Your three companions all turned to look in the same direction, Feliciano laughing when he spotted who you were looking at.

"See, see?" He asked the brunette and blond. "Isn't he cute?"

Ludwig looked like he might punch the next innocent bystander, and Kiku kept his face regimentally straight.

"Shut-up, he'll hear you!" You hissed, watching Superman turn around to look at you, blue eyes meeting yours. "Oh no."

He waved to you, laughing, and you waved back only after Feliciano had nudged you hard in the ribs. Alfred motioned you over, still grinning, but your felt like your feet were sealed into cement.

"It'll be rude to ignore him." Kiku whispered to you, pushing you forward slightly. "We'll catch up with you at the next panel. Have fun."

"If he tries anything, call me." Ludwig said simply, nodding to you.

"Don't keep your hero waiting~!" Feliciano teased, pushing you even further toward the waiting blond.

"Conspirators!" You shook your fist at them, even as you continued to stumble towards the cute volunteer. "I'll get you back for this, I swear it!"

Alfred was laughing by the time you got to him, doubled-over as he tried to keep it in. "What'd they do, throw you to the wolves? I didn't think I was _that_ bad."

You went pink when he looked up at you, blue eyes meeting yours. "Something like that, yeah." You managed.

"Well, let me make it up to you." He offered, grinning. "Volunteers get into all the cool back-stage places. Lemme give you the grand tour."

You cast a look back over your shoulder to the trio of conspirators who had pushed you to this. "Sure." You said, looking back in time to see his eyes light up. "I'd like that."

_I can be everything you need  
>If you're the one for me<br>Like gravity I'll be unstoppable  
>I, yeah I believe in destiny<br>I may be an ordinary guy  
>With heart and soul<br>But if you're the one for me  
>I'll be your Hero...<em>

"Still have your eyes closed?" Alfred asked, your hand held gently in his. "No peeking!"

"I'm not peeking!" You protested, stubbing your toe seconds later, as though to prove that point.

You heard Alfred wince along with you. "Sorry! Should have warned you that was there." He mumbled, sounding sincerely guilty for not having warned you. "We're nearly there, I promise."

You had been following Alfred around the con nearly all day, with breaks to see your friends at panels and ensure them you hadn't been full kidnapped before Alfred grabbed your hand and led you off somewhere else.

You wouldn't have changed it for the world, though, because you had been able to see so many other things because of him. He'd toured you around the whole Con, always with the same bright smile.

"Where are we headed, anyway?" You asked, following him up another flight of steps.

"It's a surprise!" He said for probably the fifth time since you had started this trek. "Just trust me, okay? You'll love it."

You laughed, following him across a landing and through a door that he held open for you. Suddenly you were surrounded by cool breezes, and you could hear the sounds of the city in the distance. "Alfred…?" You asked.

"Okay, open your eyes." He instructed, letting go of your hand.

You did as you were told, gasping as soon as you saw where you were.

The whole city seemed to stretch out beneath you, the lights from stores and streetlamps like stars in the gathering dark of the evening. You could see for what felt like forever, quickly turning on the spot to take in the whole view. "Oh, wow!" You laughed.

"You like it?" Alfred asked, expression hopeful. Up here on the roof, with the wind blowing his cape about and tousling his hair, he really looked like the hero whose costume he was wearing.

"Like it?" You turned to him, beaming. "I love it! It's beautiful up here, thank you!"

He chuckled, shrugging modestly. "Well, only the best for you." He winked, and you felt heat flood your face.

"Thanks again." You mumbled, shivering as the wind changed direction and caught you with a chill.

Alfred moved closer, putting an arm around your shoulders, a hint of pink in his own cheeks. "Didn't realize it would be so cold; sorry. We can go back in, if you want."

"No, no, I want to stay." You shifted closer to him, smiling up at him. "I like it right here best of all."

He chuckled, face burning crimson, and held on to you a little tighter. "You can stay right here as long as you like, I'll look out for you."

_So incredible  
>Some kind of miracle<br>When it's meant to be  
>I'll become a Hero<br>So I'll wait, wait  
>Wait, wait for you...<em>

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><p><em>There are fan-arts of America as both Indiana Jones and Superman. They were my inspiration for his costumes. You should totally look them up and enjoy. ;)<em>

* * *

><p><em>The song "<em>Hero" _belongs to: _Sterling Knight

Hetalia and its related characters _belong to: _Hidekaz Himaruya


	69. Lullaby For a Solider-Arms of the Angels

___Character requested by: The Phantom Of The Labyrinth___

_Wow this took a long time. Hopefully, it's worth the wait!_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>** "I can't just expect other people to look out for me, look out for the people I care about. I need to be able to protect them, protect…" He trailed off, and you propped yourself up on one elbow to look at him. "Protect what?" You asked. "Protect _you_." He finished, cheeks dusted pink and eyes looking anywhere but into yours. "I want to protect you. I want to know that you'll be safe."

**_Pairing:_**Armin Arlert/Reader

* * *

><p><em>May your dreams bring you peace in the darkness<br>May you always rise over the rain  
>May the light from above, always lead you to love<br>May you stay in the arms of the angels..._

You followed the blond down another side street, laughing as you were both pelted by the rain. You had been trying to outrun the storm, and had only been partly successful. Armin had taken off running, laughing the whole way, and you had had no choice but to follow him.

He suddenly caught your arm, dragging you under an awning, and you both leaned against the rough wood of the shop's wall, panting to catch your breath.

"You lied!" You accused the boy beside you, laughter in your eyes. "You said it would be sunny all day."

"I thought it would be!" He protested, sputtering. "If I had known it would rain, I would have asked you to stay at my house and play."

You shook your arms, freeing raindrops from the tips of your fingers, and giggled. "Well now we have to go back to your house. I can go home soaked to the skin! Mom will kill me."

He laughed, peeking out from under the awning up at the sky. "We can try to wait it out for a while, if you don't mind. Maybe it'll clear up."

You sighed deeply, starting to squeeze the excess water out of your hair. "Well I guess waiting couldn't hurt." You mumbled, not looking at him. "But if I get sick, you better nurse me back to health." You threatened.

He laughed, holding out his pinky to you, teeth chattering slightly as the wind picked up and rushed down the alley where you both hid. "I promise."

You hesitated only a second before you wrapped your pinky around his, nodding. "Good!"

_May you always be brave in the shadows  
>'Till the sun shines upon you again<br>Hear this prayer in my heart, and we'll ne'er be apart  
>May you stay in the arms of the angels...<em>

"Armin!" You yelled as you chased the blond through the streets, ducking around adults and other kids. "Armin, wait up!"

You saw him duck down a familiar side street, and hurried after him, slowing when you saw him curled up under the same faded awning from years before.

"Hey, I thought I was gonna lose you." You sat beside him, keeping your hands carefully to yourself. You could see the dirt on his clothes from where he'd hit the ground, and there was a tear on his shirt sleeve that had a trickle of blood matted to the fabric. "You okay?"

You already knew the answer, knew the lie he would feed you just so he wouldn't have to tell you the truth, but you wanted to ask anyway. You needed him to know that you cared. That you wanted to help.

"Got picked on again." He mumbled. "Nothing serious."

"It is serious!" You snapped back. "Those bullies deserve to be slapped around some themselves… It's not fair for them to pick on someone half their size."

He curled in on himself tighter, shoulders giving a noncommittal hop. "I know I'm small…"

"No, no, that's not…" You fumbled for words, trying to think of what to say. There was no really good way to put it, so you dropped the subject completely, instead looking at what he was holding against his chest. "Is that a book?"

He nodded shyly. "It's about the world outside the wall… The other kids wanted to take it from me."

"Can I see it?" You asked softly, smiling when he looked up at you. "I'd love to know about the world outside the wall."

He grinned, slowly uncurling, and brushed his fingers lovingly over the cover. "Will you keep it secret, though? I don't want any more trouble."

You grinned, holding out your pinky to him, laughing when he eagerly wrapped his around yours. "I promise."

_May you hear every song in the forest  
>And if ever you lose your own way<br>Hear my voice like a breeze, whisper soft through the trees  
>May you stay in the arms of the angels...<em>

"You can't really be thinking of joining up." You grumbled, glaring at the canopy of trees above you. "It's so dangerous, Armin, there's no guarantee you'll come back!"

"I know that." He sighed, stretching out next to you. "But it would be a chance to help humanity. I can't depend on my friends to save me forever…"

"Why not?" You shot back. "We've been doing a fine job of it so far."

"But that's not the point." He argued. "I can't just expect other people to look out for me, look out for the people I care about. I need to be able to protect them, protect…" He trailed off, and you propped yourself up on one elbow to look at him.

"Protect what?" You asked.

"Protect _you_." He finished, cheeks dusted pink and eyes looking anywhere but into yours. "I want to protect you. I want to know that you'll be safe."

"Armin…" You began, but he shook his head quickly.

"Don't argue!" He huffed. "I have weird butterflies in my stomach just mentioning it, don't make me try to argue about why you're so important, alright?"

You laughed, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "Alright. But there's one thing you have to promise me."

"Anything." He smiled up at you.

"Promise you'll always come back to me." You whispered.

He smiled faltered for a second, before he managed to keep it in place, holding out his pinky to you. "I promise." He said as you wrapped your littlest finger around his

_May you grow up to stand as a man  
>with the pride of your family and name<br>when you lay down your head, or to rest in your bed  
>May you stay in the arms of the angels...<em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Lullaby For a Solider (Arms of the Angels)" _belongs to: _Maggie Siff

Attack on Titan and its related characters _belong to: _Hajime Isayama


	70. Faster Than the Setting Sun

_I was planning to use a Beatles song for him, because it's so obligatorily British, but I couldn't find one that was fitting. So, I found this one instead._

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><p><strong><em>Summary<em>:_ -Human AU-_ **You crumpled the paper up tightly and threw it into the waiting mouth of the trash can, growling as the phone continued to ring in the next room. You marched to it, eyes already prickling uncomfortably as you picked up the phone and barked out a "What?"  
>"Oh, sorry, is this a bad time?" The painfully polite British voice on the other end made the world seem to stop for a moment, and then it picked back up the pace when he kept talking.<p>

**_Pairing_**: Arthur Kirkland (Britain)/Reader

* * *

><p><em>When there's storm clouds higher than heaven<br>And there's angels defeating themselves  
>And you can't get past half past eleven<br>Without feeding the sharks on the shelf..._

Somewhere in the distance you could hear a phone ringing, but you were too distracted to go pick it up. You held the letter in your hands, paper quivering as your hands shook, and reread the message for a fifth time.

_We regret to inform you, due to certain decisions made within the company..._

They were awfully polite about firing you. If you hadn't known that's exactly what they meant, you might not have felt so bad about being let go.

_Your services will no longer be required…_

Such a nice way of telling you that you were no longer needed. It almost sounded as though they had been sad to give your position to someone else. _Almost_.

You crumpled the paper up tightly and threw it into the waiting mouth of the trash can, growling as the phone continued to ring in the next room. You marched to it, eyes already prickling uncomfortably as you picked up the phone and barked out a "What?"

"Oh, sorry, is this a bad time?" The painfully polite British voice on the other end made the world seem to stop for a moment, and then it picked back up the pace when he kept talking. "It's just, well, I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight? I just got a rather unwelcome letter telling me…"

"Your services are no longer required." You filled in, ignoring the way your voice tried to stay in your throat, how the words stuck and made it painful to talk. "Yeah, me too."

"Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry." He went quiet for a moment, then continued. "Well, misery loves company. Want to drown our sorrows?"

"You're a terrible drunk." You pointed out, a tiny smile tugging at your lips. "Remember Alfred's party? He nearly had you committed."

He laughed. "Oh, you're right. Well, maybe just one drink, then."

You wiped at your eyes, letting out a tiny giggle. "That sounds lovely, Arthur. Thank you."

"I'll pick you up about seven?" He offered, and then continued without waiting for a reply. "I'll see you then."

You hummed, and then quickly replaced the phone into its cradle, sighing deeply. It was a long wait till seven. You glanced up into the mirror above the little table where you kept the phone, catching sight of yourself. Well… Maybe you could put a little effort into your appearance between now and then.

It couldn't hurt, after all.

_When you can't sleep for all of these visions  
>Of the iridescent lands<br>And you can't reach a single decision  
>Without your wet face kissing your hands...<em>

"Wow, you look fantastic." Arthur spoke as soon as you opened the door, eyebrows rocketing up his forehead. "Sorry! That was a little forward of me."

"No, no, it's fine." You stepped out the door and locked it behind you, smiling. "Thank you."

He smiled, gesturing back toward where he'd parked. "How have you been? Aside from your terrible letter, I mean." He asked, rummaging in his pocket for the keys.

"Not great." You replied, shrugging. "Haven't been sleeping well."

"Should I ask about the crying?" He interjected softly, not looking at you. "I'm assuming that's why your eyes look so red."

"Stress." You replied, shrugging again. "I'll be fine."

"If you're ever not, though, you know you can talk to me." He opened the passenger door for you, smiling. "I'm always ready to listen, if you want to share."

You smiled, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Yeah, I know."

He grinned, closing you into the car and practically skipped around to the other side, climbing in. "Now, off to the pub to drown our sorrows!"

_Then throw it in the sand  
>Breathe it in, breathe it out<br>Try to understand  
>Love lands...<em>

"I just mean… Who the bloody hell do they think they are, huh?" Arthur asked, words slurred enough to be cute, without being slobbering drunk. "I did good work for them! Years of it. And this is how they repay me? By blowing me off? Does that seem right to you?"

You shook your head, giggling. "Nope. Not even a little."

You were both a little drunk, you less so than Mr. Couldn't-Hold-His-Liquor, and basically everything was funny at this point. Or cute, if Arthur was doing it.

"I mean… I wasn't like a partner or anything, I get that, but I was a good worker! I did my bit and all that." He downed the rest of his pint, replacing it against the table with a bit more force than was necessary. "I need another one of these; this one's run out!"

"No, Arthur, you don't need another." You grabbed his hand before he could signal to the bartender. "You've had enough; you won't be able to drive back at this rate!"

"So?" He huffed, color drifting into his cheeks as he sat back in his chair. "I can just walk back to your place… Sleep it off."

"My spare room is a mess." You huffed, remembering when Alfred had come over and nearly trashed the place with an impromptu dance party. "You can't sleep in there."

"Could always share yours." He grinned, winking. "I'd like that. Been meaning to ask for a while, actually."

You stared at him, the wool of inebriation over your mind suddenly gone. "What?"

"Can I?" He asked, propping his chin in his palm. "Cause that'd be fun."

"Why would you ask that?" You clutched your pint to your chest, wishing you could shrink down and dive into it. You wanted to get away from the look he was giving you, his green eyes bright and devious.

"Cause I love you, silly." He said with a giggle. "Have for as long as I can remember."

"You're drunk." You stated flatly, hoping to point out the obvious and make him realize he was being silly.

"Only a little." He stated, the slur suddenly gone. "Just enough to say what I mean and not feel embarrassed." He laughed, and the deep note sent a shiver down your spine. "Never answered my question, though."

"There's no appropriate answer to that!" You snapped back, taking another quick swig of your drink. "How am I supposed to…?"

You trailed off when his lips found yours, the kiss a little sloppy but still well executed.

"Don't think about it." He said simply, taking your hand in his, grinning. "Let's just run away."

You blinked a few times in quick succession, taking in what he had just said, and then set your drink back on the table, grinning. "Okay."

_Faster than the setting sun we'll run away  
>Faster than the setting sun...<em>

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><p><em>The song "<em>Faster Than the Setting Sun" _belongs to: _Fyfe Dangerfield

Hetalia and its related characters _belong to: _Hidekaz Himaruya


	71. Better Dig Two

_Ugh, this series. So many feels._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>** Everything was a blur of white noise; the only thing that registered was the blue and white wings that now rested on his back. _The Wings of Freedom… _What a terrible lie that was. Those wings held no freedom, only a sentence of death. You knew the statistics, you knew the horror stories, and you knew what they meant for the man who now wore them. "How could you?" You finally managed to coax your vocal chords into working. "You _promised_."

**_Pairing:_** Jean Kershtein/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Put me in the ground<br>Put me six foot down  
>And let the stone say,<br>"Here lies the girl whose only crutch  
>Was loving one man just a little too much."<br>If you go before I do  
>I'm gonna tell the gravedigger that he better dig two...<em>

You stared at the insignia emblazoned on his jacket, looking without seeing. His mouth continued to move, giving his apology and explanation, and you heard without listening. He was crying, voice cracking as tears started to slip down his cheeks, you noticed without caring. Everything was a blur of white noise; the only thing that registered was the blue and white wings that now rested on his back.

_The Wings of Freedom…_

What a terrible lie that was. Those wings held no freedom, only a sentence of death. You knew the statistics, you knew the horror stories, and you knew what they meant for the man who now wore them.

"How could you?" You finally managed to coax your vocal chords into working. "You _promised_."

Light brown eyes looked up into yours, still rimmed with tears and redder than they had any right to be. "I know… And I am so sorry."

"_You promised_." You started shaking, fists clenching, tears of you own starting to escape from the corners of your eyes. "You swore you wouldn't join the Survey Corps. You gave me your _word_, Jean."

His hands lifted, but he stopped them before they could land on your shoulders, halting mid-air as he realized touching you wouldn't be the smartest choice at the moment.

"Can you forgive me?" He asked in a whisper, no longer able to meet your eye.

"Give me one good reason to." You spat back. "Tell me why you joined them instead."

Jean cracked a smile, a shy, fleeting thing. "Because some idiot boy talked me into it." He replied after a moment.

You looked again at the wings he now carried, _willing_ them to become a unicorn. You clenched your fists tighter when nothing changed, desperate to wake up from this nightmare.

"I promise I'll come back." Jean whispered, throwing caution to the wind and pulling you into a tight hug. "I won't leave you."

You reluctantly returned the hug, feeling his heart hammer against his chest in a frantic dance. Behind him on the table you saw your own uniform, the shining white and green insignia of the Military Police now seemingly dimmer than before.

"You better not." You whispered back. "Or they'll need two gravestones."

_Well,  
>It won't be whiskey, it won't be meth<br>It'll be your name on my last breath  
>If divorce or death ever do us part<br>The coroner will call it a broken heart..._

"Idiot." You growled, practically throwing the roll of bandages at Jean.

"I know, I know." He caught the bandages and dipped his head, looking at the blood soaked bandages around his thigh. "I'm sorry."

You clicked your tongue, striding over to him and snatching up the bandages. You knelt in front of him, laying a hand lightly beside his wound. The crimson blossom was a bright contrast to the crisp white of the bandages, making your stomach turn.

"How bad is it?" You asked, the anger leaving your voice.

"Not as bad as it looks." He replied, starting to remove the bandages. "I have some leave, though, to make sure it heals properly." He gave you a crooked grin, one eyebrow rising. "I'm sure you'll help with that, won't you?"

You punched his other leg, earning yourself a loud wince. "Don't push your luck." You grumbled, starting to apply the new bandages. You sat in silence for a while, you paying close attention to your work, and him watching you continue to patch him up.

"I'd rather push you." He spoke at last, snatching up your wrists once you had finished, pulling you up to your knees and close enough to allow him access to your ear. "Preferably into bed." He teased in a whisper.

You felt your cheeks flush, working your jaw for a moment before you managed to speak. "What, ah, what about your leg?"

His hands slid down your arms slowly, the tip of his nose running along your pulse as he inhaled deeply. "I told you, it's not as bad as it looks."

You were finding it hard to form sentences, but thankfully he silenced your lips with a kiss and you didn't have to worry about it anymore. Your hands found their way onto his shoulders, and then slowly worked up his neck to his hair. Jean pulled you closer, arms wrapped tight around you.

"This doesn't mean I forgive you." You managed faintly, as you broke apart for air, face flushed and eyes locked onto his.

He grinned. "Oh, I know." He winked. "But you will."

_If the ties that bind ever do come loose  
>If "forever" ever ends for you<br>If that ring gets a little too tight  
>You might as well read me my last rites...<em>

"What did you break this time?" You asked, not even looking over at the man who had shuffled into your house. You had given up keeping track of how often he came back with broken bones or bleeding wounds. You focused on the fact that he _did_ come back, and left it at that.

"Nothing broken." He replied softly, slipping his arms around your waist, pulling you back against his chest as he kissed the top of your head. "Just torn… A muscle in my leg."

"How bad is it?" You asked automatically, already relaxing from the rhythm of his breathing and heartbeat.

"About two weeks' worth." He chuckled. "Will I be bothering you?"

"Only a little." You managed a faint frown, not actually upset. You loved when he came back to you, loved seeing him lounging about the place, sans gear.

"I'll make it up to you." He whispered in your ear, hands ghosting over your hips. "I promise."

You went a rather luminous shade of red, grabbing his hands and stopping them before they could travel elsewhere. "I-I'm sure you will."

He chuckled, kissing your shoulder. "Oh, I brought something back for you."

You laughed, releasing his hands as he pulled away. "What, a Titan hand?" You asked, continuing to wash the dishes in your sink.

"Nothing quite so morbid." He teased, standing behind you once more. A little black box appeared in your field of vision, one of his arms securing itself around your waist so you couldn't escape. "But I think you'll like it."

You dried your hands on a towel and took the box from him, opening it with a giggle.

"I'd kneel, but, well, with the leg and all…" He shrugged, and you could hear his heartbeat pick up, matching your own.

The ring was simple, but it suited you. Your mouth fell open in a little 'o' of surprise, eyes widening.

"Will you marry me?" He whispered softly, holding you more tightly.

You gulped, taking the ring gingerly from its box and turning to look at him. "Do I have to put it on myself?"

He licked his lips nervously, shaking his head and taking it from you, slipping it onto your finger carefully. "Is that a yes, then?"

You grinned. "Like I could ever get rid of you if I said no."

_There'll be a stone right next to mine,  
>We'll be together 'til the end of time<br>Don't you go before I do,  
>I'm gonna tell the gravedigger that he better dig two...<em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Better Dig Two" _belongs to: _The Band Perry

Attack on Titan and its related characters _belong to: _Hajime Isayama


	72. Sunflower

_So guess what I couldn't find. That's right. Russian love songs.  
>But this one is, in my humble opinion, even better.<em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: -Human AU- <strong>_"But what brings you here? Is there something on your mind?" He tipped his head slightly to one side, violet eyes looking into yours as he waited for your answer. You fumbled for a second, trying to think of a way to answer him without leaving Toris in the lurch. "Ah… I…" You threw caution to the wind and played your best card, dipping your head and lowering your voice. "I wanted to be here to welcome you home."

_**Pairing:** _Ivan Braginski (Russia)/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Sunflower good mornin'.<br>You sure do make it like a sunny day  
>Sunflower fair warnin'.<br>I'm gonna love you if you come my way..._

You knocked twice on the thick oak door before you took a step back and waited. You could hear muffled voices and hurried footsteps on the other side, and finally the door was wrenched open, revealing the meek brunette who had called you in the first place.

"Ah! You're earlier than I expected!" His Lithuanian accent automatically made you smile, his eyes lighting up when he saw you. "Come in, please! Let me help with your bags!"

You grabbed one of the smaller bags, knowing that if you tried to deny his help he would probably be insulted, and hurried inside out of the cold. "It's so good to see you again Toris!" You grinned at him. "Now, what was the emergency you mentioned on the phone?" You lowered your voice instinctively, glancing around.

"Oh!" He chuckled nervously, locking the door before he motioned you to follow him up the staircase. "There's a problem that I think you can fix… Master Ivan's favorite coat was caught on a nail the other day when we were moving things around to clean and, well…" He trailed off, and you could practically _see_ the cloud hanging over his head. "If he gets back and finds it, he'll kill us!"

"So you need me to fix it?" You asked, following him into your usual room. "I can do that, but when's he coming back?"

"Tonight!" Toris squeaked. "Please, you have to save us!"

You laughed, putting your bags on the bed. "Don't worry about it; I'll have it looking good as new by the time he gets back, I swear."

Toris let out a sigh, ending in a laugh. "Oh, thank goodness! I knew you'd be the one to call. You're a life-saver!"

You laughed again, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Now, come on, show me this coat that's supposed to be ruined, and I'll show you how to fix it."

He chuckled. "Master Ivan is so lucky to have a friend like you! And so am I!"

You managed to keep your blush to a minimum, merely nodding as you followed him back downstairs. It was silly that just a name could set you off like that…

_Now if there's a chance that romance will find you  
>Better not find you lookin' the other way.<br>Now isn't it time you finally take it.  
>Make it so real it steals your breath away...<em>

The tear in the coat wasn't as bad as you would have guessed, hearing your three hosts talk about it, but it had still left a big hole. Luckily for you, the tear ran along the seam, so it was just a simply matter of stitching it closed again— no patching needed.

You sat and talked with the three boys, discussing what you had been up to and what trouble they had been trying to stay out of, and mended the coat. Once it was finished, you carefully brushed it and hung it where it belonged; hoping Ivan didn't notice anything different about it. It would be really bad if he thought one of the boys had done something to it.

Ivan came back in a swirl of snow and a lingering scent of vodka, the tall Russian filling the doorway easily as he moved inside and closed the door against the blizzard.

Instantly, all three boys were hovering around him, bowing deeply. "Welcome back, Master Ivan!" They chirped in unison.

He laughed, kicking off his boots and slowly taking off his outer layers, all dusted with ice and snow. "This is a lovely welcome, no?" He caught sight of you, awkwardly standing by the stairs, and his grin brightened. "And we have a lovely guest, as well! You boys didn't mention she would be coming."

They all froze, mid-bow, and shared horrified looks. "Ahh…"

"I surprised them by dropping by." You interjected, feeling heat start to flood your cheeks as Ivan turned his intense gaze your way. "Sorry, I should have warned you, but by that time you were already on your plane, on the way home. I hope you don't mind."

"No, it is a pleasant surprise." He smoothed out his features into his usual smile. "I always enjoy having you."

The three boys let out the collective breath they had been holding. "Master Ivan, can we help with your bags?" They asked.

"Yes, take them to my room." Ivan dodged around them, moving over to you. "Be careful, I brought back breakables in that big black one. Take care of it, Eduard."

The Estonian nodded quickly, handling the big case with care as he muscled it down the hall.

"Ah! Those boys are good, no?" Ivan looked at you, expecting an answer, and you hurried to nod. "But what brings you here? Is there something on your mind?" He tipped his head slightly to one side, violet eyes looking into yours as he waited for your answer.

You fumbled for a second, trying to think of a way to answer him without leaving Toris in the lurch. "Ah… I…" You threw caution to the wind and played your best card, dipping your head and lowering your voice. "I wanted to be here to welcome you home."

You bit your bottom lip and waited, butterflies winging through your stomach as you awaited his inevitable peals of laughter at such a ridiculous answer. When no such sound was heard, however, you peeked up at him, and found that his cheeks were looking awfully rosy for someone no longer out in the cold.

"Is that so?" He asked in a whisper, eyes softening as they looked into yours. "Well, I'm very glad to see you, малютка." He ruffled your hair, making you squeak softly as the weight of his hand landed gently against your head.

Your Russian was a little rusty, but you recognized the word, and felt your cheeks burn at the thought of being Ivan's _little one_.

_Sunflower good mornin'.  
>You sure do make it like a sunny time.<br>Sun mornin' good mornin'.  
>And some day child<br>I'm gonna make you mine..._

Raivis served dinner, the little Latvian bustling about as you sat at the table and tried not to stare at Ivan. He was imposing, in stature, but more than that he had an intense way of looking at you that made your stomach do spins to rival his native ballet.

"How long had you planned to stay?" He asked, looking from his plate up at you.

You nearly choked on your drink, hurrying to swallow so you could answer. "Oh! Well, I hadn't given it much thought…" You looked down at your plate, eager to avoid his eyes. You felt like he could see right through you, when he looked at you a certain way. It was as if he could read your mind.

"Give it some thought, then." He replied smoothly, returning to the meal and seemingly letting you off the hook.

You busied yourself with eating and tried not to think about his tone too much. He seemed almost eager for an answer, and it made you curious. You couldn't think of a reason why he'd want you to linger, since you had, technically, done what you came here to do. With the coat fixed and the Baltic Trio out of both the frying pan and the fire, there was really no reason for you to stay at the house.

After dinner, Ivan shepherded you into the sitting room, leaving the boys to deal with the dishes. You sat on the sofa awkwardly as he moved to the fireplace to tend the blaze. His shadow seemed to swallow up the whole room as he stood, his intimidating presence made even more so by the dancing firelight.

"Did you think about it?" He prompted after a pause, causing you to snap out of your thoughts.

Pink tinted your cheeks, as though he had known just what you _had_ been thinking about. "Oh! Well, it would be nice to spend a few days, if that's alright with you…" You offered, unsure of how he would take the proposition. After all, you were essentially inviting yourself over to his house.

"Only a few day?" He sat next to you, like a polar bear in a pale scarf. "I would have thought you would want to stay longer."

"What made you think that?" You asked shyly, once again finding it hard not to openly stare at him.

"The way you smiled when you saw me… I would like to see that expression more often. And you like it here, no?" He smiled at you, and you felt your heart start to melt. "Like being with me?"

Your face flushed, suddenly, and you tried to hide it by staring at the fire. "Well, I mean… Yes. I do."

One of his arms slid around your shoulders, and you suddenly found yourself tucked against his side, a low rumble of a hum leaving him. "That is good, подсолнечник; I would not have it any other way."

You felt your cheeks _burn_ at the name, and tried to hide your face in his scarf, shyly returning the embrace.

To think, Ivan Braginski, terror of the Baltic Trio, had called you _Sunflower_.

_Sunflower good mornin'.  
>You sure do make it like a sunny time.<br>Sunflower sweet mornin'.  
>For ev'ry time I'm gonna make you mine...<em>

* * *

><p><em>The song "<em>Sunflower" _belongs to: _Glen Campbell

Hetalia and its related characters _belong to: _Hidekaz Himaruya


	73. Baby, It's Cold Outside

_Oh dear goodness, this show. These characters. This _**fandom_._**Such Love! Much Feels! OMG Wow!  
>Alright, enough of that... But really: I love them all to pieces.<p>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**"Gray, this is getting bad." You mumbled, teeth chattering slightly as the wind picked up and the snow grew worse. "Maybe we should head back…?" You offered, hoping he would take the hint. Gray opened his mouth to protest, likely to remind you that he was immune to the cold, but then he caught sight of you, and he snapped his mouth shut. "Jeez, you and Lucy are so troublesome…" He grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Come on, my apartment's near here. We can wait it out there.**"** _Wait. What._**  
><strong>

**_Pairing: _**Gray Fullbuster/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I really can't stay<br>__**Baby it's cold outside  
><strong>__I've got to go away  
><em>_**But baby it's cold outside  
><strong>__This evening has been  
><em>_**Been hoping that you'd drop in  
><strong>__So very nice…  
><em>_**I'll hold your hands; they're just like ice...**_

You yelped as the weather suddenly turned, the nice, cool spring day giving way to a sudden chill. "Whoa, what's this?!" You unconsciously shifted closer to your companion, staring up at the sky as you both kept walking.

"That's Magnolia for you." Gray commented dryly, sparing the sky a fleeting glance before he returned his attention to the flier in his hand. "Come on, if we don't keep moving, we'll be late for this job."

You both kept moving, as the snow continued to fall, and you spared your fellow guild member a sidelong glance. It wasn't odd for you to team up with other members in Fairy Tail for certain jobs, you didn't really have your own team, but jumped around from one to another whenever they needed your expertise on a mission.

Honestly, you'd been shocked when Gray came up to you that morning and asked you to go with him. Usually he and Erza or Natsu ran duet missions, but he'd never asked for your company before.

"Gray, this is getting bad." You mumbled, teeth chattering slightly as the wind picked up and the snow grew worse. "Maybe we should head back…?" You offered, hoping he would take the hint.

Gray opened his mouth to protest, likely to remind you that he was immune to the cold, but then he caught sight of you, and he snapped his mouth shut.

You gave him a half-hearted smile, arms wrapped tight around yourself as the wind blew right through you and your clothes.

"Jeez, you and Lucy are so troublesome…" He grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Come on, my apartment's near here. We can wait it out there."

"Wait." You watched him with wide eyes as he turned down a side street. "What."

"What, you _want _to trudge back to the guild in this?" He asked, eyebrows rising. "This way we'll be half way to our mission when it lets up." He spared you a rare, small smile, chuckling. "I thought you were freezing. No reason to make it any worse."

You felt heat rise in your cheeks as you followed him to his apartment, wishing on every Celestial Spirit you could name that Juvia _never_ found out about this.

_My mother will start to worry  
><em>_**Beautiful, what's your hurry?  
><strong>__Father will be pacing the floor  
><em>_**Listen to the fireplace roar  
><strong>__So really I'd better scurry  
><em>_**Beautiful, please don't hurry  
><strong>__Maybe just a half a drink more.  
><em>_**Put some records on while I pour.  
><strong>__The neighbors might think  
><em>_**Baby, it's bad out there  
><strong>__Say, what's in this drink?  
><em>_**No cabs to be had out there  
><strong>__I wish I knew how  
><em>_**Your eyes are like starlight now  
><strong>__To break this spell...  
><em>_**I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell...**_

Gray's apartment was actually nothing like you'd been expecting. The furniture was sparse and the colors muted, but it was clean, organized, and laid out nicely.

"What're you looking at?" He asked, hanging his jacket by the door.

"It's just…" You gave his front room another looking over. "It's not like Natsu's."

Gray winced. "I guess that's a compliment…" He moved to the fireplace and started to get to work, somehow losing his shirt on the way over, and you looked away.

Not that you _minded_ the view, but it was rude to stare… Or something like that.

"Want something to drink?" He asked, finally getting the kindling to catch. "Tea?" He added a few small logs to the fire, getting a good blaze going.

"Yeah, thanks." You replied, casting the window a glance as the snow continued to fall. _Seriously, where did this come from?_ You wondered.

"Make yourself at home." He offered, standing and heading to the kitchen.

"Y-you sure we don't need to just go to that job?" You piped up, perching on the edge of the sofa, feeling like Juvia would pop out at any moment and demand to do one-on-one combat with her _Love's Rival_.

"Positive!" He called back. "No reason to make ourselves miserable. This storm won't last."

"But didn't you say we should hurry to it?" You asked, remembering his earlier comment.

"Jeez, would you calm down?" He came back, to steaming mugs of tea in his hands. "That was before there was a blizzard in the middle of spring. The job'll still be there— and I know the person who put in the request; they'll understand."

You let out a breath you hadn't realized you'd been holding, taking the tea from him gratefully. "I guess you're right." You managed, glancing again at the window.

"Relax." Gray leaned back in his seat beside you, taking a sip of tea. "It's not the end of the world."

_It will be, if anyone finds out about this_. You thought, imagining how Natsu might react. He and Happy would probably start a rumor about you and the Ice-Make Wizard. And rumors were like wildfire when it came to the Fairy Tail guild.

"You alright?" Gray asked, another one of those sly smirks on his face.

"Yeah!" You jumped slightly at the question, already on edge from your own thoughts, let alone the shirtless Wizard next to you. "Just still kinda cold." You tried to play it off.

"Oh, well, c'mere." He grabbed your hand, dragging you to your feet and over to the fire. "Get closer to the blaze." He grabbed two of the pillows from the couch and dropped them onto the floor, sitting on one of them. When you made no movement to follow suit, he looked up at you expectantly. "You wanna freeze by yourself on the sofa?" He asked.

"No, sorry." You mumbled, sitting next to him, trying to keep your thoughts in order.

"Hey." He prompted, and your head snapped up.

"Y-Yeah?" You stammered.

"Huh…" He was staring, and it was making your cheeks _burn_. "I never noticed the color of your eyes before." He commented softly, tipping his head to one side. "It's kinda nice."

_What the hell did he spike our drinks with?!_ You questioned silently, wondering if you should drink any more. Either this was a hallucination, or Gray Fullbuster had just called your eyes _kinda nice_… Which was practically a declaration of love, considering who the Wizard in question was.

"Um. Thanks." You replied, managing to keep eye contact. "You have nice eyes too." _Why did I say that out loud?!_

He laughed, shrugging. "I guess they're alright, as far as eyes go." He took another sip of tea and you hurried to do the same.

If this was a hallucination, there was no way you were letting it go that easy.

_I ought to say no, no, no, sir  
><em>_**Mind if I move in closer?  
><strong>__At least I'm gonna say that I tried  
><em>_**What's the sense in hurting my pride?  
><strong>__I really can't stay  
><em>_**Baby don't hold out.  
><strong>__Ah, but it's cold outside.  
>I've got to get home<br>__**Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there  
><strong>__Say, lend me your coat  
><em>_**It's up to your knees out there  
><strong>__You've really been grand  
><em>_**Thrill when you touch my hand  
><strong>__Why don't you see...  
><em>_**How can you do this thing to me...?**_

You could feel yourself getting sleepy, whatever tea he had served you playing a cruel trick on you by getting into cahoots with the fire and making you drowsy.

"You okay over there?" He asked, chuckling when you felt your eyes start to flutter shut for the fifth time.

"Y-yeah, it's just… We should be heading out." You mumbled, trying to get away from how warm his chest looked right now, and how bright the fire made his eyes.

"It's still snowing." He pointed out. "I think it's actually gotten worse… Jeez, what's with the weather in this place?"

"Just lend me one of your coats." You suggested, trying to get enough energy together to get up from the pillow and away from the allure of Gray's seemingly-warm chest and fire-bright eyes. "Then we can go take care of that job and be done for the day."

"The mission involves working outdoors." Gray pointed out. "And I don't have any coats that'll fit you."

"It's fine it it's too big!" You protested, setting your mug on the hearth, trying to get up. "Too big is fine."

"Too big isn't as warm." Gray argued. "Why are you in such a rush, anyway, it's not like they're paying us buckets of money to complete it, anyway."

"I just…" You stopped, realizing you'd been about to blab the whole thing to him. "I just don't want to make the others worry." You managed instead.

"It's a _blizzard _out there. I'm not letting you leave until it lets up. The others will understand." He snorted. "It's not like Natsu's never done this at Lucy's place before."

He had a point, and you knew it. But you could feel heat flooding your cheeks, and it wasn't from your proximity to the fire. You tried to get up, and nearly fell over, only managing to not face plant by Gray reaching out to grab you.

You yelped, lost your balance, and toppled right into his chest.

_So warm…_

"Sorry!" You squeaked, pushing yourself up, but he caught your shoulders, shrugging, not quite looking you in the eye.

"I don't really mind." He spoke softly. "We could just blow the job off, if you want… No reason anyone needs to know we didn't finish it today."

You felt a grin tug at the corners of your mouth, relaxing against him. "Well… It _is_ cold outside…"

_There's bound to be talk tomorrow  
><em>_**Think of my life long sorrow  
><strong>__At least there will be plenty implied  
><em>_**If you caught pneumonia and died  
><strong>__I really can't stay  
><em>_**Get over that hold out...  
><strong>__Ah, but it's cold outside..._

* * *

><p><em><strong>BONUS!<strong>_

Lyon chuckled to himself, looking down at the white streets of Magnolia, today's handiwork.

"Are you sure this was a good idea, Mr. Lyon?" Eve asked from beside him. "Seems a little underhanded…"

"It'll be worth it." Lyon replied with a smirk. "They deserve to be happy…"

"But this? Seems a little extreme." Eve argued, feeling like he'd somehow cheated.

"They just needed a nudge." Lyon shrugged. "We gave them one. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Eve laughed, adding a little more snow outside Gray's window, just in case the other Ice-Make Wizard decided to check on the state of the weather again. "I just hope no one notices it only really snowed over here…"

* * *

><p><em>This is the first of several Fairy Tail JDs I have picked out. If there's a character or song you want done (from this fandom or another!), <em>please_ let me know. I love writing things for people, and this is one of the only ways I get to do it. ^_^_

_This song, though... I couldn't not use it. XD  
>But duets, man. Such a pain to format. Ugh.<em>

_As a side note: Lyon and Eve teamin up to be all Team Cupid.  
>Admit it. It could happen. ;P<em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Baby, It's Cold Outside" _belongs to: _Frank Loesser

Fairy Tail and its related characters _belong to: _Hiro Mashima


	74. Even Sleeping

_This was actually a lot easier to write than I was expecting... Bonus points to anyone who sees the hidden reference!  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>** "Stay with me." It was a command, nothing else, and steel eyes stared into yours as blood-stained hand felt for a pulse. You could feel something slide from the corner of your mouth, and belatedly you realized it must be blood. Your heart was fluttering, weakly, like a butterfly that had been smacked to the ground; struggling to flap its wings again. "_No._" Levi hissed, and you felt him gather you up into his arms. "_Not like this._"

**_Pairing:_**Levi/Reader

**_Warning: _**_Spoilers for character deaths__  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>I want to cry but the tears won't come<br>There's blood on the ground  
>I think I know where it's from<br>But my hands are tied as I watch you die.  
>Step away son, the worst is past, he said<br>But I can't see her breath, she's moving on fast  
>As the shadowy reaper glides through the trees<br>He's coming, he's coming, he's come to steal her away from me..._

Trees whipped past you as you fell into a rhythm with your 3-D gear, following along behind your squad members. Erin was talking to you, over the buzz and hiss of the gear and the rush of wind. You were trying to pay attention, really, but the rush of flying, of being out here with the Survey Corps, was making you a little light-headed.

"Stop distracting her, Jaeger!" Levi barked from ahead of you, glaring over his shoulder at the other brunette. "We have to keep our wits about us out here, and your babbling might attract unwanted attention."

Erin huffed, rolling his eyes. "Sure thing, Captain Tight-Pants…" He grumbled.

You stifled a giggle, pulling up to a tree limb as Levi slowed ahead of you. You were part of his "guard detail"; not that he needed guarding. You had watched him in battle enough times to know if anyone would be doing the guarding here, it would be him.

"Hold this position." Levi instructed the pair of you, keen eyes sweeping through the trees. "I'll scout ahead and then come back for you. If a Titan appears, you know what to do."

As soon as he was out of earshot, you started panting, doubling over as you tried to catch your breath.

"I wondered how long you could hide it…" Erin watched you, eyes narrowed. "How did you make it this long without showing any signs?"

"Don't… Don't really know…" You leant against the tree, sliding down into a sitting position, blades held carefully across your lap. "Surprised I managed to hide it, this whole time…"

Erin sighed, looking back out over the forest, lowering his voice. "This is really no place for you. You should have gone with the Military Police- you would have been safe there."

"I barely qualified." You pointed out, still panting slightly. "Besides, that's no fun. This way, I get to go out with a bang; not a whimper."

He glared at you, but there was no real heat in his gaze. He looked sorry, if anything, and you grinned up at him.

"I'll be fine, Erin. I feel better again already."

"It's your heart, right?" He asked softly, again looking out into the trees, like he was trying to distract himself. "How did you get through basic training?"

"Toughed it out." You replied, pushing yourself back up to your feet. "I was determined not to give up without a fight. It'll take a Titan to keep me down."

He chuckled, casting you a look. "I like that attitude of yours… But I don't know if it'll keep you safe."

You opened your mouth to reply, but you saw something looming out of the trees behind him, and the color left your face. A pair of gargantuan eyes were staring at you both, and you felt your heart skip a few beats as it fully registered in your mind.

_Titan_.

You shoved Erin off the branch, screaming the creatures name, and he yelped, recovering in time to latch onto the next tree and pull himself to safety.

A hand the size of a house, shot from the trees, and time seemed to slow.

You heard Erin scream your name, heard another voice that sounded like the Captain, saw a blur of green speed towards the monster, but it was too late.

The hand slapped you from the branch and you went spinning off into the air, your heart faltering and finally giving out. You saw Erin, tears in his eyes, rushing towards you before something green and white caught you and dragged you back to another tree.

"Stay with me." It was a command, nothing else, and steel eyes stared into yours as blood-stained hand felt for a pulse.

You could feel something slide from the corner of your mouth, and belatedly you realized it must be blood. Your heart was fluttering, weakly, like a butterfly that had been smacked to the ground; struggling to flap its wings again.

"_No._" Levi hissed, and you felt him gather you up into his arms. "_Not like this._"

"Titans incoming!" Another team member cried. "Levi, we need you!"

His hands clutched to you tighter. "Erin, take care of them."

"But-"

"Do it!" Levi snapped. "I can't leave her- I need you to do this."

You heard a roar, and then a soft whimper.

"_Stay with me_."

_I felt a panic but it happened so fast  
>Was like noon to dusk but only seconds had passed<br>We're here between seen, unseen.  
>I know you're crying at the hospital bed<br>I felt you pleading when I hoped to hear a smile instead  
>You can listen to the people and the things they will say<br>Or you can listen to your spirit saying send me on my way..._

"She's alive." Zoey was talking, but you couldn't see her. "Barely. There's not much chance, though… Thought you should know that."

Someone was crying, you could hear the soft, uneven breaths of someone trying to contain their tears.

_Erin…?_

"Jaeger tells me she has a heart condition… It's a miracle she lasted this long, to be honest." Zoey continued. "If she doesn't start to recover soon, well… She might not have long."

There was a pause, and someone took your hand in both of theirs. You could feel calluses, from years of using blades and hard work, the fingers curling tightly around yours.

"You should tell her how you feel. Before it's too late."

It felt like a second, but suddenly the hands on yours were gone, and you heard Erwin's voice begin, part-way into a sentence.

"You've been here a week, you have to get back out there. Our men need you!"

"She needs me more."

_Levi?_

"…She can't come back from this."

"You don't know that!"

"I do! Do you know how lucky she's been up till now! She shouldn't even have made it through basic training, but she did! She made it into the top ten, even! She should have died already, Levi, the fact that she hasn't is a miracle!"

"Maybe she has one more in her, then."

Erwin sighed, and you felt tears start to roll down your cheeks involuntarily.

"You have to learn how to say goodbye, Levi. I understand, with Petra and the others, but…"

"You don't understand anything." He snapped. "I can't lose her too."

"Perhaps it's her time."

_Time_. You felt it shift again, so silently it was unnerving, and you heard someone sobbing, a weight across your chest almost too heavy to bear.

"You _can't_." Levi begged softly. "Not like this."

You wanted to call out, to tell him it was alright, to tell him you were going to be fine… But you couldn't. You felt tears soak into your shirt from where he cried, and you wanted to cry yourself.

"_Stay with me_." He whispered. "_Please_."

_The sun is down, it's at its end  
>I'll follow you as far as I can<br>The sun is down but the day won't end  
>I'll follow you as far as I can.<br>The sun is down, she won't mend  
>I'll follow you as far as I can<br>The sun is down, they say that she won't mend  
>And I can't find you, I can't find you...<em>

The field was covered in flowers, and breezes stirred the tall grass as you sat under the tree and watched the clouds drift by, shadows dancing over the field.

"Levi; what are you doing here?" He had appeared out of nowhere, relaxing beside you.

His cravat was missing, the first few buttons of his shirt undone as he sat with his eyes closed.

"Can't a Captain take some time off now and then?" He asked, cracking an eye open to look at you.

"Well, I suppose…" You trailed off when you saw the sun dip down below the tree line, the sky suddenly painted in gold and orange. "When did it get so late?"

"It's been night for a while." Levi chuckled, now on your other side. "The day's almost over."

You looked up into a midnight sky full of stars, wondering how you had missed the sunset. "Why won't the day just end already, then?"

"It can't." Levi has his head in your lap, looking up at you with sad eyes. "It doesn't want to leave you behind."

"But what if I want to go to sleep?" You asked, now looking up at him. "What if I want to leave it behind?"

"Then I guess you'll just have to let go." He replied in a whisper, the grip on your hand suddenly strong and warm. "But I'll follow you to the end… As far as I can. I won't let you just fade away."

"Levi…"

The field vanished, darkness swallowing it up. The stars blotted out one by one, devoured by the growing shadows that swept over your world.

"Levi!" You screamed, clutching his hand. "Don't let go!"

He smiled; a tiny twitch of his lips, and enveloped you in his arms. "I won't."

_Oh, what would it take  
>To keep you here in my arms bleeding?<br>Oh, what would it take  
>Is it so much to just start breathing...?<em>

* * *

><p><em>Well, that escalated quickly...<br>Should the outcry be enough, I might change this ending... But I personally like it.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Even Sleeping" _belongs to: _Children 18:3

Attack on Titan and its related characters _belong to: _Hajime Isayama


	75. Beautiful With You

_This was a joy to write._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**"I guess that's why I'm nervous about thinking of Fairy Tail as my family..." You mumbled into his shoulder. "I don't want them to abandon me." Natsu chuckled, and you felt it rumble into your chest. "Nah, there's no chance- We won't ever abandon you like that. Fairy Tail is for life!"

**_Pairing:_**Natsu Dragneel/Reader

* * *

><p><em>I stare at the girl in the mirror<br>T-shirt, torn up jeans, no beauty queen  
>But the way that you see me<br>You get underneath me  
>And all my defenses just fall away<br>Fall away..._

"Get out."

You caught the bag that was tossed at your head, tears making it hard to see. Another case was thrown at you, and you only just managed to catch it, dropping the first bag on your foot to do so. You kept in a wince of pain, baring the pain silently.

"Please..."

"No. I'm done with you." Hard eyes narrowed, and a sneer was directed your way. "You're no child of mine."

The door slammed and you sucked in a breath, not wanting to give them the spectacle they were probably waiting for. You collected your things, and moved down the street with your head held high. You didn't need them- they didn't have magic... They didn't understand you.

You wandered through Magnolia without really thinking about where you were going. Everything was a blur- faceless people hurrying past you, featureless surroundings bleeding into nondescript countryside. You stopped by the edge of the river, the setting sun turning the gleaming surface gold.

You thought about jumping in- giving up. It was the easiest plan- no muss, really, no fuss. No one would miss you. You sat and took off your shoes, dipping your feet into the cold water.

You caught sight of yourself in the calm surface of the water and started to cry again. You were a mess, splotchy face and red eyes- hair in a tangle from where you'd been wrenched from the bed that morning. Your clothes were equally messy, the sort you didn't usually wear out in public.

"Hey, whatcha doing out here on your own?" A voice jarred you out of your thoughts, and you looked up, squeaking. "Whatcha cryin' for?"

You looked up to see a young boy with pink hair, wide eyes full of concern and curiosity. "I-I've got nowhere else to cry." You mumbled, wiping your eyes on your sleeve.

"What? No home?" He sat next to you, arms and legs crossed.

You shook your head and he clicked his tongue.

"Well, come home with me, then." He offered, grinning. "You can meet my family! They're all really awesome... I'm sure they would help you out, if you needed it."

You stared at him, tearing up again. "Y-you really think so?" You asked.

"Yeah!" He laughed, standing, and offered you his hand. "I've got the best family ever!"

_I stand naked before you now  
>No walls to hide behind<br>So here am I, you see all of my scars  
>Still here you are<br>I bare my soul and I'm not afraid  
>Not afraid...<em>

"Why'd you have to go and do something stupid like that, huh?" Natsu asked, frowning. "You could have asked one of us to go with you..."

"I didn't want to make a big deal about it." You grumbled, following him along the street to he guild hall. You were limping badly, wincing with every move.

"You're part of the family!" Natsu shot back. "Nothing is too big of a deal for us! We meet a wall- we smash it down; that's how Fairy Tail works!"

You laughed softly, careful of your bruised ribs. Who knew Vulcans could be so vicious, anyway...

"You have trouble with families, don't you?" Natsu asked softly. "I mean- you've been a guild member for a couple years, and I've never heard you call us your family... You don't feel left out, do ya?"

"No, no, it's not that!" You hurried to assure him. "It's just... My family abandoned me. That day you found me by the river, it was because they had thrown me out."

Natsu stared at you, freezing mid-step. "They did what?"

"I could use magic,and they couldn't... I guess they thought I was some sort of freak, I guess..." You gave a small shrug, not wanting to dislodge any more joints than you already had on your mission.

"But your magic is beautiful!" He gaped.

"My step-father didn't like having a wizard in the family." You mumbled.

"That's no excuse!" Natsu huffed. "You don't just kick a kid out because they do something you don't like!" He growled, letting go of you. "Now get on my back. I'll carry you back to the hall."

You felt your cheeks flare red. "No, I mean, I can make it."

"Shut-up." He grumbled, looking away. "Just get on, okay?"

You did so gingerly, careful not to jostle your injuries too severely. "I guess that's why I'm nervous about thinking of Fairy Tail as my family..." You mumbled into his shoulder. "I don't want them to abandon me."

Natsu chuckled, and you felt it rumble into your chest. "Nah, there's no chance- We won't ever abandon you like that. Fairy Tail is for life!"

You laughed, holding onto him a little more tightly. "For life, huh?"

_I am beautiful with you  
>Even in the darkest part of me<br>I am beautiful with you  
>Make it feel the way it's supposed to be<br>You're here with me  
>Just show me this and I'll believe<br>I am beautiful with you..._

You heard another cheer go up from inside, the party already going strong. You'd learned not to ask why there were so many festivals and parties that took place with Fairy Tail as the center- you just assumed they liked to have a good time. And who were you to stop them from breaking loose now and then?

Something crashed loudly, and you heard Cana let out a distraught cry, nearly doubling over when you realized why. The brawl would start soon, and you were thankfully already outside. You moved further from the doors, just in case someone came tumbling through them, and leaned against the balcony.

Fireworks were going off over the town, and you watched them, remembering when you had first come to he guild, and the curious young boy who had brought you into his family. He wasn't a little boy anymore, that was for sure. You wondered if Natsu had noticed that you had grown up too; in more than one sense of the word.

A loud yowl preceded a body flying through the window, depositing a disheveled Natsu onto the balcony beside you. You yelped, jumping out of the way, and he growled as he picked himself up.

"Oh, that was low, Gray!" He shouted back into the fray. "I'll get you for that!"

You chuckled, watching him dust himself off, and he turned to you, only now seeing you standing beside him.

"Why aren't you in there where they party's at?" He asked, forgetting bout his threat to the Ice-Make wizard, turning to lean against the balcony with you.

"Not really my sort of party." You shrugged, feeling heat creep up the back of your neck as his eyes caught the light from the fireworks. "I like it out here more."

He grinned, looking out over the city. "Yeah, I guess it is really nice, isn't it? Never really seen it like this- all still. Makes a nice change."

You distracted yourself by watching the skyline, the stars obscured by the bursting multicolored sparks.

"I know I mentioned it once, bout your magic being beautiful, but I meant to go further... You're beautiful." He dipped his head. "I mean, like, your insides. Ya know? The bits no one can see?"

"You mean my intestines?" You asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

He laughed, shaking his head. "Aw, come on! I was being serious! You know how rare that is!" He nudged you with his elbow, gently. "I really mean that- your, what do you call it, spirit? Yeah. That's beautiful."

"What brought all this on?" You asked, not looking at him.

"I think your outsides are kinda pretty too." He admitted, grinning at you. "Plus you smell nice- I mean, you know, cause I can smell really well and you-"

You cut him off with a quick kiss, feeling his face burn as you pulled away, looking back out into the city. "You're, ah, not so bad yourself." You managed, grinning.

He cleared his throat, glancing back at the hole he had put through the window. "Still don't think it's your kind of party?" He asked.

You glanced at him, shaking your head.

He chuckled, casually shifting to lean his shoulder against yours. "That's lucky, then... I don't think it's really my kind of party either."

_I've been the strong one for so long  
>But, I was wrong<br>Doesn't make you weak cause you needed someone  
>I'm not holding back and I know what I want<br>You want me for myself  
>Look at me like no one else<br>I am beautiful with you..._

* * *

><p><em>Consider this fluff my apology for last time. XD<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Beautiful With You" _belongs to: _Halestorm

Fairy Tail and its related characters _belong to: _Hiro Mashima


	76. Mourir d'Aimer (Dying Because of Love)

_Francy-Pants was literally the hardest to write for. And I did Japan already!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Summary: -Human AU-<strong>_ You assumed, perhaps foolishly, that Francis would behave himself during dinner. You were mistaken. Fraternization was frowned upon at the best of times, fraternizing with the French Ambassador, however, was likely to get you hung.

**_Pairing:_**Francis Bonnefoy (France)/Reader

* * *

><p><em>The walls of my life are even<br>I cling to them but I slip  
>Slowly to my destiny;<br>While everyone is judging me  
>I only see one shelter for me<br>All exits sealed up for me  
>Dying because of love...<em>

Looking back on it, he would have to say this whole affair had seemed like a scenario from one of his native romances, only minus a passionate love scene, perhaps. The rest, however, had felt like a script, written out by fate and shoved into his unwitting hands. Everything had clicked into place, no matter how hard he had fought it, and then… well. Then you had happened.

You were the _inattendu_, the unexpected; the piece of the puzzle that never fit in any place he tried to set it. You were the girl on the train, the lady in need at the library, the tourist caught at a bus stop without an umbrella in a downpour, the quintessential damsel in distress that he had tried to rescue. You were his destiny.

And it didn't matter that Arthur glared at him every time he brought you up, or that Alfred would quite literally point and laugh, he knew he was right. You were the one; the only one. And he would die before he let you slip out of his grasp.

He had exactly one day, a fleeting moment when you would both be in the same place at the same time, in order to win your heart. He had one chance at this, before you went back to your home, and he couldn't see you again for another year.

He had one shot at forever, and he was going to make sure he got it right.

_Willingly deep into the night  
>Pay love at the price of one's life<br>Sin against the body but not against the soul;  
>Let's leave the world to its problems<br>Heinous people facing themselves  
>With their small ideas<br>Dying because of love..._

"Francis, you're being a bloody idiot about this whole thing."

Arthur muttered to the Frenchman as they both stood in the foyer of his château, smiling to the guests as they arrived. It was the Frog's turn to host the annual get-together for ambassadors, and he had dressed the place to the nines: as only Francis Bonnefoy could.

"Will you hush?" He hissed back, glaring at the Brit. "She'll be here any moment, and I refuse to have your negative attitude cluttering up the place."

Arthur sputtered, but just then Alfred ran over and grabbed his arm, insisting that he follow the younger man to the backyard to "_check out the sick set-up_".

Francis smirked and mentally chalked that up as a victory. His smirk faltered, however, when you walked in the door, wrestling with your bags, flushed, hair a mess; and yet he still had never seen anything as lovely as you.

"Ah! Let me help you with that, _mademoiselle_!" He hurried forward, catching the handle of one of your bags before you could drop it. "Shall I show you to your room?"

You opened your mouth to reply, but then noticed what he was wearing, the medals and regalia that denoted his station as ambassador. You felt your face flush even more and sputtered out a completely nonsensical reply before he chuckled, and took you by the elbow, leading you toward the stairs.

"Please, _mademoiselle_, let me help you." He never really let you argue the point, because by the time you got your mind and breath back, you were already part way up the stairs.

"You really shouldn't, _Monsieur _Bonnefoy, you have much more important things to attend to than showing a secretary to her room." You tried (admittedly, only half-heartedly) to resist the pull on your arm, but he merely smiled at you.

"Nonsense, _mademoiselle_, as ambassador it is my duty to my guests to ensure they are comfortably situated. I would be a terrible host if I did not do that much, no?"

You worked your mouth, but no sound came out, so you shut it and kept walking, awkwardly tugging your bags along behind you.

He stopped at a door near the end of a long hall, opening it with a key he produced from his pocket. He pushed the door inward to reveal a room decked in gold and white, a canopy bed set across from wide windows, everything pristine and perfect.

You shuffled in after him, wondering if perhaps you were in the wrong room. You were _a secretary_, for heaven's sake! This was a room for royalty!

"_Monsieur _Bonnefoy, it's lovely," you began, turning on the spot to take it all in. "But…"

"I'm glad it is to your liking!" He bowed slightly, setting your bag down on the floor. "The necessities are through that door there, and if you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask. My room is just down the hall, and I would be happy to assist you with even the smallest matter, day or night."

You opened your mouth to continue your train of thought, but he snatched up your hand and your train of thought was jarred right off the tracks as he kissed the back of it.

"Dinner is at seven, please don't be late." He brushed his lips over your knuckles a second time, and then turned on his heel, closing the door behind him.

Belatedly, you realized you were still standing with your hand extended into the air, lips parted in surprise, eyes wide as saucers.

You let your arm fall back to your side, and tried to clear your mind. Everything seemed fuzzy now, like when you'd had your eyes closed too long and had to blink very hard to see properly again. Only blinking didn't help, because you started to do it a great deal in an attempt to reassert reality.

A knock on your door made you jump, and you scurried forward, peeking around the door to see who it was.

"Ah, there you are, good. Settled?" Arthur asked.

You nodded mutely.

"Well, when you've freshen up, come down, would you? There are some people I'd like for you to meet." He paused, half-turned back down the hall. "And keep an eye on that Frog, will you? If he tries anything, let me know."

You nodded again, closing the door as he headed back down the hall, leaning against the white wood as you tried to put your thoughts into order. You couldn't tell him what had just happened, and you certainly couldn't tell him what had been hinted at happening. If you fell for Francis Bonnefoy, Arthur would kill you.

After all, you were his secretary.

_As our love cannot live  
>Better to close its book up<br>Instead of burning it;  
>Leave with one's head lifted up<br>Be victorious in a defeat  
>Turn all data upside down<br>Dying because of love..._

Dinner, as you found out just in time, was a formal event, which meant that you had to break out your ELBD (_Emergency Little Black Dress_) and pearls. Thankfully, your hair did as it was told, and you managed to get down the stairs without a single trip-induced incident, so you arrived at the dining room in one (relatively intact) piece.

"_Mademoiselle_, you'll be sitting here." Francis appeared at your elbow, gently guiding you toward your seat with a hand on your lower back.

You made a mental note to not tell Arthur about exactly how low Francis seemed to think your lower back was, and followed his lead to a seat near the head of the table. He pulled the chair out for you, and neatly slid it back in as you sat down. He then took his own seat at the head of the table, right beside you, and you felt your stomach start to churn.

By the time the appetizer had been taken away, and the soup had arrived, you realized why he'd positioned you so close. You assumed, perhaps foolishly, that Francis would behave himself during dinner. You were mistaken. His hand rarely (_if_ _ever_) left your knee, and although he was certainly covert in his attentions, the warmth of his palm was incredibly distracting, and you could barely pay any attention to what was going on around you.

Unfortunately, that included Arthur and the questions he was firing at you from across the table.

You managed to stumble through most of them, dodging his more pointed questions, right up to desert. It was at that point that Alfred tried to swipe the cherry from atop Arthur's desert, and managed to make the Brit drop his spoon instead.

As Arthur bent to pick it up, you had a moment of dawning comprehension and horror, realizing what he would see if he looked up from the floor at the wrong moment. You put your hand on Francis', trying to remove it calmly, and heard Arthur's head slam against the bottom of the table as he swore.

You felt the blood rush from your face and snapped your eyes up to look at the British Ambassador as he returned from his spoon-saving endeavor, rubbing the back of his head. What blood had fled from your face apparently had migrated to his, because he was flushed to angry scarlet, green eyes boring holes into your host.

"Excuse me!" You squeaked; pushing your chair back in a rush and hurrying from the room, fleeing the scene before Arthur could fire you on the spot.

Fraternization was frowned upon at the best of times, fraternizing with the French Ambassador, however, was likely to get you hung.

You made it to the back porch before you heard footsteps following you, and you straightened up, ready to accept your fate at the hands of a very angry Brit.

Instead of a whir of insults, however, you got whirled around into a tight embrace, warm hands smoothing over your back as an equally smooth voice chuckled into your ear.

"It seems, _ma chérie_, that the game is up."

"Does it have to be?" You asked, feeling your face flush as you hid it against his chest. His cologne enveloped your senses in a shroud, making everything hazy, and your eyelids drooped as he continued to hold you.

"Well, I doubt Arthur will let it slide; flirting with his secretary at dinner. It might take months to patch things up with him."

You pulled away from him slowly, not wanting to let go. "We could just call things off now; before it's too late. That would work, wouldn't it? Then we could say it was all a misunderstanding, a mistake."

He stared at you, as though you'd just slapped him. "But you and I…"

"You two!" You both jumped as Arthur appeared in the room behind Francis, face less red but still an unhealthy shade.

"I do apologize, sir, I should have informed you the moment it happened." You bowed your head. "It won't happen again."

You heard a gasp and a sigh, unsure who did which, and kept your eyes glued to the ground.

"Good." Arthur clicked his tongue. "I'd hate the other guests to be put off their appetite because of you two. The least you could have done was wait until after dinner. Honestly, Francis, show some decorum."

You snapped your head up in time to see Arthur clap Francis on the shoulder, winking before he turned on his heel and headed back toward the dining room.

"I'll make your excuses!"

You looked at Francis, who had a rather smug look on his face, an eyebrow arched at you.

"Now, _ma chérie_, as the night is young. I believe we should take advantage of the tentative peace with Britain." He caught your chin in one hand, pulling you in close enough to whisper against your lips. "Don't you?"

_Dying because of love  
>As one might from anything<br>Leave everything behind  
>And only carry what was us, what was you;<br>You are spring and I am autumn  
>You heart takes, mine gives<br>And my track is already beaten  
>Dying because of love...<em>

* * *

><p><em>You have no idea how tempted I was to end this tragically (it <em>is_ France, after all). But then I couldn't bring myself to do it. Francy-Pants deserves love too, I guess._

* * *

><p><em>The song "<em>Mourir d'Aimer (Dying Because of Love)" _belongs to: _Charles Aznavour

Hetalia and its related characters _belong to: _Hidekaz Himaruya


	77. Chances Are

_He's main-character-ish, right? So he can be the opener for this fandom._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**"Oh, where are my manners?" Isaac finally swooped in to rescue you as an awkward silence welled up. "Firo, this is a friend of ours; she and Miria work together. My dear, this is Firo Prochainezo, a very good friend of ours." "Is that right?" Firo smiled again, offering you his hand, which you took shyly. "Well, any friend of Isaac and Miria's is a friend of mine. It's nice ta meetcha."

**_Pairing:_**Firo Prochainezo/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Chances are, 'cause I wear that silly grin<br>The moment you come into view;  
>Chances are you think that I'm in love with you...<em>

In any normal sort of circumstances, you never would have gone into a speak-easy. It wasn't really a place for respectable young women to go after work, but if you had been pressed for answers, you would have admitted it wasn't your idea to show up in the dimly lit, smoke-filled room in a borrowed dress and heels.

You'd been dragged (almost literally), by a friend you'd met at work, and now you were sitting at a table trying to figure out how you'd gotten both into the beaded dress you were wearing, and the club where you were sitting.

"Isaac, why don't you get us some drinks?" Miria piped up, giggling as she looked around the room. "I'm sure our friend would like something to make her look less out of place!"

Isaac jumped to his feet before you could protest, grinning brightly. "Of course, Miria my dear! I'll be back in a flash!"

You shut your mouth with a snap, settling back into your seat, glancing about the room for something to talk about before you could blush for the tenth time that night (always brought on by one of the fedora-wearing men winking at you from across the room).

"H-how did you find this place?" You asked, noticing yet _another_ man looking you over.

"Oh! We have a friend who knows the owner!" Miria grinned. "If you wait a little, I'm sure he'll be by to say hello."

You stared at the blonde, realizing you actually didn't know that much about her. She'd only just started working with you, and had insisted that you come along this evening even after all your protests, even letting you borrow a dress when you pointed out you didn't own one.

This whole thing was starting to make your hair stand up on end, suspicions swirling through your mind, but Isaac appeared at your elbow just then, and you leapt out of your seat with a yelp of surprise.

You ran right into someone, stumbling over an apology as you stumbled over the hem of your dress, losing your footing and swaying dangerously close to the table before a pair of arms caught you.

"Whoa there, let's not go ruinin' that pretty dress!" The brunette who caught you chuckled, an arm around your waist and the other holding one of your hands. "Easy there, Isaac's not gonna hurtcha'."

"O-oh, I know!" You felt a flush start to spread through your cheeks, as you heard Isaac and Miria both giggle like schoolgirls over your current predicament. "He just startled me, is all."

He set you back on your feet, smiling, and you felt your heart do a little backflip as he looked you over. "Well you don't look like you're hurt. Are ya?"

You shook your head quickly, the hand he had been holding lifting to check your hair.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Isaac finally swooped in to rescue you as an awkward silence welled up. "Firo, this is a friend of ours; she and Miria work together. My dear, this is Firo Prochainezo, a very good friend of ours."

"Is that right?" Firo smiled again, offering you his hand, which you took shyly. "Well, any friend of Isaac and Miria's is a friend of mine. It's nice ta meetcha."

You offered a slightly strained smile of your own, bobbing your head. "It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Prochainezo."

"Oh, Firo, please." He released your hand and motioned to your seat, pulling your chair out for you. "Pretty dame like you shouldn't have ta be all formal 'round here."

You took your seat again, nodding mutely as color rushed into your face. You straightened out your dress, carefully picking up your drink and taking a large swallow to soothe your nerves.

"Hey, Carl!" Firo called out to one of the waiters, snapping his fingers. "This table, whatever they want, on the house! They're friends of mine."

The waiter nodded, and continued across the room. You quickly snapped your head back up, blinking up at him.

"Oh, no, Mr.… _Firo_, there's no need for that! I would hate to impose!"

"Nonsense, you're not posin' nothing." He laughed. "Really, it's my pleasure." He looked at Isaac and Miria, winking at them. "These two free-loaders need all the help they can get, anyway."

They both started to sputter indignantly, but Firo started to laugh, and they quickly joined him.

"Only jokin', enjoy your evening, you three." He looked back at you, smiling again. "I hope to see you around more, now that you've been thrown in with these two. Come back, alright?"

You nodded absently and watched him walk off toward the back room, only noticing the looks Isaac and Miria were giving you after a long moment of silence.

"What?" You asked, hiding behind your glass again.

"Nothing!" Isaac grinned.

"Just wondering if you wanted a handkerchief to catch that drool you're spilling!" Miria chimed in.

You flushed red and glared at both of them, downing your drink as they both broke into laughter.

_Just because my composure sort-of slips  
>The moment that your lips meet mine,<br>Chances are you think my heart's your Valentine..._

The next time you met Firo, it was somewhere you honestly had not expected to see him. You were at work, shelving things where they belonged in the bookstore, when the bell over the little door tolled. Miria had gone home early, saying she and Isaac had big plans for later that night, so you hurried down from the ladder and out to the main desk.

"Yes, may I help you?" You started, stopping short in your tracks when you saw who was standing by the desk.

Firo had the collar of his coat flipped up, hat pulled down low, and a rather shy smile was peeking out at you. "I was hopin' I'd catch ya here… Think you could do me a favor?"

You closed the short distance to the desk and nodded, glancing around the rest of the bookstore to be sure you two were alone. If he was mixed up in something shady, you didn't really want anyone else to see him in here, talking with you.

"Ya see, I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and there's a cop on my tail. I ducked in here to shake him, but could I stay for a little while, in case he tries to finger me for somethin' I didn't do? I promise I'm on the level, I just don't wanna risk it. I've put Maiza through enough for this lifetime."

"You don't mean Maiza Avaro of the Martillo Family, do you?" You asked, eyebrows rocketing up your family.

"Well lookit' you, knowin' the Martillo Family." Firo grinned. "Yeah, that's the Maiza I mean. Do ya know 'im?"

"No, no, I just know of him… Are you part of the Martillo Family too?" Oddly enough, it made perfect sense for Isaac and Miria to know members of a Mafia Family, and you wondered why it hadn't occurred to you when they'd dragged you to a speak-easy.

"Yeah, I am." Firo shoved his hands in his pockets, shrugging. "Are ya gonna throw me out over it?"

You laughed, partly out of nervousness, partly because you thought he was cute like this, and shook your head. "No, no, you can stay. Don't see the point in slinging you out if the cops are trying to frame you for something you didn't do."

He let out a sigh, smiling. "Thanks. I don't want to be no trouble, if you want me gone, just say."

"No, really, it's fine." You motioned to his coat. "If you want, I can put that under the desk, cops might not come in if they don't see what they're looking for."

He quickly slipped off his coat and handed it over, together with his hat. "Can I help you with anything? Might as well make myself useful while I'm waitin' 'round."

You folded his coat and put it behind the desk, resting his hat on top. "You could help me carry these to where they belong." You motioned to a pile of books on the desk.

He nodded, stooping to pick them up, when he glanced over to the front windows, and saw a pair of cops headed across the street toward the store. "Great, they're headed over here."

"What do we do?" You hissed, glancing between the windows and your stow-away.

"You trust me?" He asked, glancing up at you.

You nodded quickly, more concerned with keeping him safe than what might happen if the cops caught you hiding him.

"Then play along, okay?" Firo stood and gave you a quick smile before he kissed you, turning so his back was to the window.

You squeaked in surprise, trying to think of a place to put your hands, before they finally settled onto his shoulder and back. Your heart had settled into your throat, and you wondered how you hadn't burned him yet with how hot your face was becoming, the longer you two stayed like that.

He pulled back slowly, face hovering over yours. "Take a peek; they gone?"

You glanced around his shoulder, catching sight of the two boys in blue walking away, shaking their heads and chuckling. "Y-yeah, they're leaving."

Firo released you, his own face a little redder than usual, and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry 'bout that, shoulda given ya more warnin'. I don't usually go 'round kissin' dames like that."

You shook your head, straightening your clothes back out, desperate for a reason not to stare at him. "Glad I could help you out." You managed faintly.

He chuckled. "Speakin' of helpin'; still want me to help you with those books? Gotta give the cops a head-start before I try to get home."

You nodded, picking up the first three and leaving the rest of the stack for him, hurrying back toward the shelves. It really wasn't healthy how fast your heart was racing, or how hot your face felt. And it _really_ wasn't healthy how much you wanted him to kiss you again.

_In the magic of moonlight,  
>When I sigh "hold me close, dear"<br>Chances are you believe  
>The stars that fill the skies are in my eyes...<em>

"Isaac, are you sure I'm allowed to be here?" You glanced up at the club's exterior, shifting on the spot. "You're friends with them, not me, and I'd hate to intrude."

"Don't be silly, my dear!" Isaac took your arm, smiling. "Any friend of ours is a friend of the Martillo Family's."

"Besides, you know Firo!" Miria took your other arm, giggling. "And he knows you, so it's not like you're a complete stranger, right?"

"Right!" Isaac chimed in, winking at you. "And you and Firo have become rather close, haven't you?"

"Haven't you?" Miria repeated.

"Hardly!" You squeaked. "What is this, an interrogation? Come on, you two, I should really just go home."

"But we bought you your very own dress, and everything!" Miria whined, tugging on your arm gently. "You have to wear it inside!"

"Yes, yes, you must!" Isaac tugged gently on your other arm, frowning. "Show it off to Firo! I'm sure he'll like it!"

"Oh, will you two stop it?!" You snapped, stamping your foot. "There's nothing going on between us!"

"There's something!" Isaac exclaimed.

"Something's there!" Miria agreed. "Why else would he have invited you tonight?"

"And why else would he have invited you on all those outings you two have taken if there wasn't at least a _glimmer_ of something?" Isaac asked, grinning.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with us!" Miria said in a stage whisper.

"Safe as a secret can be!" Isaac agreed.

You sighed, giving up the fight and letting them lead you into the speak-easy. It was useless to resist them, you knew that by now, but it was perhaps even more useless to try and reason with them. You kept hold of their arms until you got to the door into the back room, and then they mercilessly pushed you through the door first.

You tripped over your dress, yelping, but instead of colliding with the floor, you collided with a warm body, arms wrapping around you as a chuckle filled your ear.

"You gotta stop doin' that." Firo teased. "I've heard of dames fallin' for a guy, but I didn't think they meant it literally."

"I guess I just can't keep my feet under me, around you." You managed, letting him set you back on your feet. You straightened your appearance out, noticing how he looked you over.

"That dress looks good on you." He said after another look. "Wouldn't wantcha to ruin it fallin' for a guy like me."

"Oh, well, it's a bit late for that." You muttered, coloring when you caught the grin on his face.

"It might be noisy in here, doll, but it ain't that noisy." He teased, taking you by the hand. "But I guess I could let it slide if ya let me have a dance."

"Oh, no, no, I'm not a very good dancer." You protested, quickly looking around for Isaac and Miria, in a vain hope that they would rescue you.

"I'll have 'em play somthin' slow." Firo waved to the band and mouthed something to them. "Wouldn't wantcha to fall for me for real this time."

He pulled you close and the song began, a slow, soothing melody you recognized. You danced for a few moments in silence, neither of you wanting to be the first to end the intimate moment the quiet brought on.

"Truth be told, I'm not that great of a dancer either." He chuckled, finally speaking in a low tone. "Better at steppin' on toes than steppin' 'round 'em. But Maiza is always tellin' me to practice." He smiled, looking you in the eye, the dim lights all reflected back at you from sparkling amber orbs. "Guess I just had ta find the right partner."

"I'm not sure that's me." You replied, shrugging slightly.

"Nah, I know it's you." He grinned. "It's gotta be."

"How do you know?"

He leaned in to whisper into your ear. "Cause you're the only dame I've ever wanted to keep dancin' with when the song ends."

With a jolt you realized the music had ended, and you were both swaying to a tune that no longer existed. Over Firo's shoulder you could see Isaac and Miria both giving you a thumbs-up, matching grins on their faces.

He stopped, looking at you, smiling again. "Think you'd be up for dancin' again? I'll have 'em play a whole set of slow ones, just for us."

You smiled back, nodding. "I'd love to."

_Guess you feel you'll always be  
>The one and only one for me<br>And if you think you could,  
>Well, chances are your chances are awfully good...!<em>

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><p><em>Ugh, this show. So many hot mafia members, so little time.<br>_

_And yes, Firo is merely the first of several, so keep an eye out for more. Because there will be more._

_Many more._

_Also, he was an absolute joy to write for; in case the length of this (totally not) drabble was not indicator enough._

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Chances Are" _belongs to: _Johnny Mathis

Baccano! and its related characters _belong to: _Ryōgo Narita


	78. Man in the Long Black Coat

_Show of hands... Who genuinely did not see this coming? Anybody?_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**You didn't care how impulsive it was, or how long it might take you to make him see reason, or even how long you would have to follow him to get where you wanted to go, but you were determined. You would become a member of Fairy Tail if it was the last thing you did. And as for the man in the long black coat, he was just your ticket to get you there.

**_Pairing:_**Gildarts Clive/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Crickets are chirpin' the water is high<br>There's a soft cotton dress on the line hangin' dry  
>Window wide open African trees<br>Bent over backwards from a hurricane breeze  
>Not a word of goodbye, not even a note<br>She gone with the man in the long black coat..._

He'd swept through town like a hurricane one night, every step he took like a rumble of thunder as he passed through your dreary little village, mind set on the task at hand.

You remembered waking in the middle of the night, jolted awake by the shuddering of your house, followed by the sound like a landslide, a scream tearing through the night.

You'd rushed downstairs at once, pulling your clothes on as you hurried to the door, trying to see what was going on. The whole street was in uproar, everyone clambering for a look at who was walking through town, wreaking havoc as he went.

The monster he was hunting had been plaguing your town since the summer, and with the sudden change in weather, it had gone back to the mountains to sleep through the winter. Evidently, he had awoke it, and it had not been pleased.

You watched from your living room as he fought, his magic lighting up the dark street in flashes, storefronts crumbling from the force, the beast already limping badly from where he had clipped one of its legs. Finally, it charged him, and you saw him smirk as he held up a hand, ready to dispatch it once and for all.

It was rent into a million little pieces, all dispersing as he lowered his hand and caught his breath. People started pouring out of their homes, all either shouting at him to get lost, or cheering him on. You stayed in your house, watching, until you saw one of the villagers grab his arm and lift it up over his head. From here, even in the dim light, you could see the guild mark that rested on his chest, the insignia unmistakable.

You rushed back upstairs and hurriedly packed your things, not even taking time to leave a note explaining where you were going before you hurried out of the house and rushed after the red-headed wizard.

You didn't care how impulsive it was, or how long it might take you to make him see reason, or even how long you would have to follow him to get where you wanted to go, but you were determined. You would become a member of Fairy Tail if it was the last thing you did.

And as for the man in the long black coat, he was just your ticket to get you there.

_Somebody seen him hangin' around  
>At the old dance hall on the outskirts of town<br>He looked into her eyes when she stopped him to ask  
>If he wanted to dance; he had a face like a mask<br>Somebody said from the bible he'd quote  
>There was dust on the man in the long black coat...<em>

It took you a week to catch up with him again, and by that time you'd almost given up hope of finding him. You kept an ear to the ground, tried to keep your eyes peeled for red hair and a wide grin, but he was more elusive than someone his size had any right to be.

You still didn't know what you were going to say to him, how you were going to get him to agree to your hair-brained scheme, but you had hope. You were talented, you knew that much, but you needed training; training only a guild like Fairy Tail could give you.

The only advantage you had at this point was your anonymity; he had no idea who you were, and you only knew that he was from Fairy Tail. You hadn't asked anyone from your town who had hired him or what his name was; you'd been in too much of a hurry to catch him before he vanished into the night.

You could see him tapping his foot to the music that filled the hall, and decided to act on another impulse, standing from your seat and crossing over to him.

He looked at you, expression carefully blank, and you broke out your brightest smile in order to ask him to dance.

He broke into an equally bright smile, looking you in the eye, and accepted.

He was a good dancer, better than you by a long-shot, and you had to pay attention to keep up. You kept the chatter between you carefully at surface level, only asking about his guild mark when he'd had a few more drinks, and had a flush high on his cheeks.

He took the opportunity to brag; not just about his own abilities, but also his guild's, and you drank up every word. You kept his drinks coming, and he kept giving you information.

By the sixth drink, he had gotten personable, putting his arm around your shoulder and whispering into your ear, teasing you about your hair and eyes in a playful manner; commenting on your lack of a guild mark, and asking if it were, perhaps, just hiding out of sight.

You finally admitted that you'd heard of Fairy Tail before and wanted to join, and he laughed in your face.

You slapped him, ready to leave right then, but he grabbed your hand and pulled you back down into your seat.

He was excited, he explained, not mocking. He offered you sly smiles and kept his hand on yours, winking and holding on tighter when you tried to pull away.

If you wanted to join Fairy Tail, he explained, you would need him.

_Preacher was talking, there's a sermon he gave  
>He said every man's conscience is vile and depraved<br>You cannot depend on it to be your guide  
>When it's you who must keep it satisfied<br>It ain't easy to swallow it sticks in the throat  
>She gave her heart to the man in the long black coat...<em>

Gildarts, after introducing himself and paying his tab, had thrown you over his shoulder like a sack of flour, and hauled you out into the night. And you had let him. You'd struggled, thrown a fit, kicked and screamed, but eventually your throat was raw and your muscles ached.

At that point he laughed and told you not to worry; he'd take care of you.

You didn't want him to take care of you, you wanted him to put you down, you wanted to slap him across the face and run home again, but you knew you couldn't. You had everything riding on getting into the guild of your dreams, and one rude man was not going to stand in the way of that, no matter how much your pride had been damaged.

So you let him keep carrying you, eventually being deposited onto a cave floor as he told you to stay put and behave. You felt more like a kidnap victim than a new recruit for a guild, but you did as you were told, sitting in the cold cave and shivering until he returned with wood for a fire.

You asked about his orders, and he said that he just liked telling people what to do.

You threw one of your shoes at him, and he threw his coat over you, telling you to shut up and sleep.

You woke up again, part-way into the night, with a weight over your chest that hadn't been there before. You found, after blinking the sleep from your eyes, that it was Gildarts' arm, and that the wizard himself was lying beside you, shielding you from the cold of the cave entrance with his larger frame.

You tried to lift the coat enough to put over him as well, but his arm refused to move. You jostled him awake, and received a grumble in response. When you tried to get him to move, his answer was a kiss, forceful and a little sloppy, and a command to shut up and go to sleep.

You did shut up.

You did not go to sleep.

Instead, you laid there and watched the firelight play over his face, a flush on your own, and wondered exactly what you should do about the situation in which you now found yourself.

He cracked an eye open and looked at you, a grin soon spilling over his face. He asked what the matter was, and you decided that honesty was the best policy, telling him plainly that he was the matter.

He laughed and tightened his grip on you, whispering into your ear that that was as it should be, and you really should just shut up and go to sleep. You didn't have to worry; he would look out for you.

_There are no mistakes in life some people say  
>And it's true sometimes, you can see it that way<br>But people don't live or die people just float  
>She went with the man in the long black coat...<em>

* * *

><p><em>Well it's nice to finally have that out of my system. Please don't throw things... Or I'll have to have Gildy throw you, mmkay? Mmkay.<br>_

* * *

><p><em>The song <em>"Man in the Long Black Coat" _belongs to: _Bob Dylan

Fairy Tail and its related characters _belong to: _Hiro Mashima


	79. Check Yes Juliet

_So this happened... I regret nothing!  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summary:<em>**On several occasions, your parents tried to force you three apart, saying it was unbecoming for a young lady to chase after two boys like that. But they didn't understand—you doubted they ever would. So you kept chasing, kept jumping at the next opportunity to be with them, because it was all you had ever wanted. _They _were your family, or the closest thing you had, and you wouldn't sell that bond for the wide world.

**_Pairing:_**Hikaru & Kaoru Hitachiin/Reader

* * *

><p><em>Lace up your shoes<br>Here's how we do  
>Run, baby, run<br>Don't ever look back  
>They'll tear us apart if you give them the chance<br>Don't sell your heart, don't say we're not meant to be  
>Run, baby, run, forever we'll be<br>You and me..._

You had spent every waking moment with those boys. They were your world. Your families had made arrangements in business, and with your parents often off on business, you found yourself dumped at the Hitachiin family home most of the time.

Not that you minded it, in fact it was your favorite place to be. They could light up your world like absolutely nothing else, giving you as much of their attention as you needed or wanted.

You got to be in their little world, their private space that was usually reserved for them and them alone—but they let you be a part of it. They brought you in, brought you up, in a way, and helped you find yourself.

You went to the same schools, went to the same parties, the same vacation spots. Everything the Hitachiin twins did, you did right after them, following in their footsteps wherever they led. They were your rambunctious role-models, and you were never going to give them up.

On several occasions, your parents tried to force you three apart, saying it was unbecoming for a young lady to chase after two boys like that. But they didn't understand—you doubted they ever would. So you kept chasing, kept jumping at the next opportunity to be with them, because it was all you had ever wanted. _They _were your family, or the closest thing you had, and you wouldn't sell that bond for the wide world.

But then your father made bad business deals. You couldn't afford to go to the same schools, weren't invited to the same parties, had the gates of the same vacation spots closed in your face. Your parents tried to make amends, tried to wheedle and connive their way back into the society that had tossed them out at the merest hint of shady deals.

As for you, you had an open invitation to the home that had never really felt like it wasn't your own. You had two redheads always waiting for you with bright grins, ready to take you on the next adventure. You had two boys who loved you more than your blood-relations ever could.

But everything changed when you go to high school.

Over the summer, before you all went to Ouran for orientation, something shifted dramatically. You grew three inches, and the twins grew six. You had to start wearing clothes to accommodate the changes in your figure, and their mother would design things specifically with you in mind, without telling her boys. You started wearing make-up and getting asked on dates, the twins started to complain that they couldn't get girls to leave them alone while they were on vacation, because they didn't have you there to keep the hounds at bay.

And then the first day of school came, you arrived in your uniform, and you thought you might have a heart attack from the twins standing across the street from you, both playing with their ties waiting to walk you inside.

You panicked, turned to get back in the car, until you heard them call your name. Time slowed as you looked back over your shoulder, Hikaru waving ecstatically as Kaoru scolded him for making such a scene. You waved back shyly, smiling, and you swore they both looked more flushed than before.

"Were you gonna bail on us?" Hikaru asked as soon as you had joined them, your head bent, hands fiddling with the strap of your bag. "That's not very nice, ya know."

"Leave her alone, brother, she's probably just nervous!" Kaoru came to your rescue, catching your chin with a forefinger, smiling when your eyes met his.

"What does she have to be nervous about?" Hikaru countered, throwing one of his arms around your shoulders. "She's got us to protect her!"

You laughed, still nervous, and followed them into the assembly hall, head held high.

_Check yes, Juliet  
>Are you with me?<br>Rain is falling down on the sidewalk  
>I won't go until you come outside.<br>Check yes, Juliet  
>Kill the limbo<br>I'll keep tossing rocks at your window  
>There's no turning back for us tonight...<em>

After your father had found you at the Host Club for the first time, you'd been forbidden from seeing the twins. He had almost dragged you out of school kicking and screaming, but Kyouya had pointed out how badly that would reflect on his already-tenuous reputation, so he had stormed out alone.

Of course, the twins had not agreed to that order, and almost nightly they would sneak you out of the house. You wondered if their parents knew what they were doing, that they let it happen, or if they were better off not knowing that your own parents locked you in your room every night.

You were studying for a test when the pebbles started to tap against your window instead of rain. You had to keep from laughing, worried your parents might hear, and instead started to pack your books away.

The rocks continued until you flashed your lights, letting them know that you had heard them. The flurry of Romeo-esque messages stopped, and you finished pulling on your jacket and rain boots.

You turned off your lights and cracked the window, climbing down the lattice work ever-so-conveniently positioned below your window.

"We thought you might not be coming." Kaoru pulled you into a hug, his breath warm against your ear.

"He thought you might not be," Hikaru hugged you from the other side, sandwiching you between them. "I had no doubt you'd come when we called."

You felt heat rise in your cheeks, but kept your mouth shut, trying to keep calm while squished between the pair of them. "You know I expect you to help my study, since I had to stop in order to join you."

"What, did you think we were just going to keep you out late and not do anything productive?" Kaoru teased.

"I can't believe you'd think such a thing!" Hikaru laughed, starting to head down the street to where they'd parked the car. "This isn't about fun! It's educational!"

You and Kaoru both snorted, joining in with his laughter as you ran through the rain to the car, ready to leave your life behind for the night.

"Hey, we need to be back earlier tonight, my parents are leaving for a business trip in the morning, and they'll expect to see me before they go."

"Leaving, you say?" Hikaru asked.

The twins shared a look that you knew all too well, and then both grinned.

"Well, we can't leave a lovely lady like you in her house alone—it just wouldn't do!" Kaoru hurried you into the car, chuckling. "We might have to come defend your honor while they're gone."

"Assuming we leave you any, that is." Hikaru chimed in, sitting across from you, making your cheeks burn with the implications.

"Brother, be nice." Kaoru smacked his knee, climbing in beside you. "Of course we'll leave her _some_ honor!"

You rolled your eyes, and relaxed into your seat, listening to their continued bickering drown out the rain on the roof. This was where you were your happiest—hitching a ride in the rain with a pair of quarrelling twins; the best place on earth.

_Check yes, Juliet  
>I'll be waiting<br>Wishing, wanting yours for the taking  
>Just sneak out and don't tell a soul goodbye.<br>Check yes, Juliet  
>Here's the countdown:<br>3, 2, 1, now fall in my arms now  
>They can change the locks, don't let them change your mind...<em>

You awoke in a mass of limbs and warm breath brushing past your cheeks; curled between the twins in their bed. Your clothes were a rumpled mess, your hair not fairing much better, and you had to struggle to get your phone out of your pocket without disturbing either boy in order to see what time it was.

You felt your heart skip a few beats when you realized it was already one in the afternoon. You nearly jumped out of bed right then, the slumber of your companions be dammed, but then you noticed that you also had no messages from either of your parents.

You heart decided to settle somewhere in the pit of your stomach when you realized that they hadn't even noticed you were gone. You didn't know whether to be grateful for dodging that particular bullet, or hurt that they hadn't even thought to check on you before they left.

"Don't think about it so much." Kaoru spoke softly, his arms tightening around you. "Just let it go. They're not worth worrying over."

"They're my parents."

"They're not very good parents." Hikaru pointed out, earning himself a swift kick from his brother.

"But still…" You trailed off, staring at your empty inbox, realizing how empty you felt because of it.

"Don't let it get to you." Kaoru plucked the phone gently from your hands, kissing your cheek as he did so. "Just means you won't be getting a lecture."

Hikaru took the phone from his brother, kissing your other cheek. "You can stay here as long as you like; our home is always welcome to you."

"You could even stay here instead of with your parents, if that's what you'd prefer." Kaoru continued.

"We've talked to our parents about it, they would be happy to have you as an extended guest…" Hikaru offered. "Besides, it's lonely without you."

"But would you get in trouble? Having a girl stay over so often?" You asked.

They both chuckled, kissing your temples, tightening their hold on you.

"Don't be ridiculous…" Kaoru began.

"…You're not trouble; in any sense of the term." Hikaru finished.

You felt a flush start to work its way up your neck, your whole face growing warm as you lay there and considered their offer. It would be like staying with family, you rationalized. Really attractive, affectionate, cuddly family. Family who would help you with homework and make you laugh, family who would keep you company in the dead of night when you couldn't sleep and make midnight raids on the fridge with your. Family that knew you better than anyone. Family that you loved more than anyone.

"There's just one problem with that." You managed in a soft voice, realizing they were both watching you carefully. "People will talk, you know, if I come to live with you."

"Let 'em talk." Hikaru grinned. "Talk never hurt anyone; not enough to make it worth worrying about."

"Yeah, but—" You began.

"And so what if they do?" Kaoru interjected, cutting you off. "That's their problem, not ours. Our only concern is keeping you happy and safe."

You knew they were telling the truth. That was all they had ever wanted; all they had ever tried to do.

"…I'll have to move all my stuff in."

"Already done; we had our people start on it this morning after your parents left." Kaoru kissed your cheek again, grinning.

"You have to room that connects to this one, so we can be as loud and stay up as late as we like." Hikaru chuckled, stealing another kiss for himself.

You sputtered, extracting yourself from their arms, sitting up and turning to look at them both. "But how did you know?! How on earth did you know what I'd say?"

In unison, they both blinked, glanced at each other, looked back at you, and shrugged. "We love you."

You stared, speechless, and felt your cheeks start to burn, gaze shifting back and forth between them both.

"Now come back, it's not even lunch time." Hikaru patted the space on the bed you had vacated.

"We can sleep a little longer, I think." Kaoru smiled, doing the same. "Unless you don't want to join us again?"

"That's very rude of you, if it's true." Hikaru pointed out. "After what we just told you; declaring it like that. Rejection would cut me to the core."

In a flash Kaoru was hovering over his brother. "Oh, Hikaru, please—don't cry! You're supposed to be the strong one; you can't—"

You threw a spare pillow at them, laughing. "Oh, enough! I'm not one of your Host Girls!"

They both laughed, winking at each other, and quickly retaliated with pillows of their own. The battle ensued until you fell back into their arms and they trapped you once more, all three of you laughing as you settled back into satin sheets and wondered what Tamaki would say when he found out.

"No need to mention this to our King, is there?" Kaoru prompted his brother, as though he'd read your mind.

"No, I don't think so." Hikaru smirked. "He'd just get jealous!"

_We're flying through the night  
>We're flying through the night<br>Way up high  
>The view from here is getting better with you by my side...<em>

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><p><em>The song <em>"Check Yes Juliet" _belongs to:_ We The Kings

Ouran High School Host Club and its related characters _belong to: _Bisco Hatori


	80. For You Only

_Guess who's back, baby! :D_

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><p><strong><em>Summary: <em>**He wanted to tell you that nothing could possibly be wrong with him now. Nothing could ever be wrong again, with you standing in front of him, smiling at him the way you did. He wanted to say how much he cared about you, how much he— "Yeah, I'm fine."

**_Pairing: _**Kirito (Kazuto Kirigaya)/Reader

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><p><em>Blinding darkness surrounds me<br>And I am reaching for you only  
>This hopelessness that drowns all that I believe<br>Will be the one thing that I need  
>For you only...<em>

Everything was dark as he floated in the abyss and waited for the light he knew was coming. A soft hush of metallic clicks filled his mind as he drifted on in darkness. Soon, there was a speck of light somewhere ahead of him, and he focused in on it, pushing himself toward it, willing himself to move forward.

It grew closer and brighter, slowly engulfing him and driving out the darkness. Suddenly everything was pure white, blinding him for a moment before colors started to emerge, and the world reasserted itself around him. The ground solidified beneath his feet, the town took shape, the sky was a blaze of azure above him, and the metallic chatter turned to people talking as they passed him.

He was standing on the steps of a temple, looking out at the bustling town with all its inhabitants. He scanned the faces of the people around him, looking for one in particular, but he couldn't find her.

Kirito glanced down at his wrist and pulled open the menu, accessing his friend's list and checking the number of people logged in.

Your name was illuminated in green.

His heart leapt, and he hurried down the steps of the temple, headed toward the inn where you had first met. If you were in town, that's where you would be.

He dodged around people, apologizing as he navigated through the crowded streets, keeping an eye on your username, in case it turned from hopeful, vibrant green to dull gray.

He rounded a corner and caught sight of your armor, glinting in the sun. It was unmistakable, even from this distance, and he shouted your name.

You turned to look over your shoulder, your curious expression changing into a huge grin as you caught sight of him and waved.

He quickened his pace, finally coming to a stop in front of you, slightly out of breath from his dash through the city.

You laughed and asked him if it was alright.

He wanted to tell you that nothing could possibly be wrong with him now. Nothing could ever be wrong again, with you standing in front of him, smiling at him the way you did. He wanted to say how much he cared about you, how much he—

"Yeah, I'm fine."

_There's a hunger it's slowly growing  
>Chasing shadows but never knowing<br>If all that I have done  
>Is keeping me from you<br>Than can the arms of mercy bring the rescue  
>To return to you...<em>

The dungeon had taken a beating out on both of you, and you were both laying in the field beside the entrance, panting as you stared up at the sky and watched your HP bars slowly refill themselves.

He'd never seen you let loose in combat before, and he was trying to pretend like he hadn't found it beautiful. The way you handled yourself in combat, the way you moved. It was like watching a ballerina.

Kirito asked if you danced before he could stop himself, and he felt the flush settle into his cheeks the second the question left his lips.

You laughed, the way you always did when he blurted something out unintentionally, and told him that you only ever danced when people weren't looking.

You'd both laughed at that, and he'd asked the next question without ever thinking of the consequences.

"Do you think we should meet up outside the game?"

Silence fell on you like a ton of bricks. It was so thick, Kirito was pretty sure he couldn't have cut it with both of his swords combined. It stayed like that for a long time, neither one of you speaking or moving, both of you still silently watching the clouds roll past you.

Finally you stood, not looking at him, and said your mom had called you to dinner.

You logged out before he could say goodbye, and he felt a sick weight settle into the pit of his stomach. You had been partnering up for almost a year, getting to know each other through missions and discussions at the inn, and now he had blown all of that because he couldn't keep his stupid mouth shut around you.

You had that effect on him. Like a drug he had gotten addicted to, a particular taste he was hungry for. The longer you two were apart, the harder it was for him to concentrate, the worse his life in the outside world seemed to be.

It was bad, he knew, it bordered on being dangerous, and he had tried to control it, but it was past the point of being tamed, now. It wasn't obsession, it was longing. When you weren't in the game together, he missed you more than any amount of logic could explain. And it hurt.

"Way to go, Kirito—you scared away your damsel."

_Keep on running farther, faster  
>And keep on searching for this haunting has an answer<br>And, I know you will find me in orbit  
>For I am breathing only for this<br>For you only  
>For you only...<em>

It was a month before you logged in again. He checked every day, even set up an alert system that would notify him if you came online. He stopped playing, for the most part, only using it as a way to blow off steam when work was getting him down, or when school was making his brain hurt.

Otherwise, he threw himself into the outside world. _The real world_, he had to keep reminding himself. The world with school and work, and his sister. The world where he had to take care of his body and house, the world where people depended on him to keep things running smoothly at work, or make good grades in school.

The world without you.

Finally, the alert system let him know you were online, and he stuffed the rest of his dinner into his mouth and rushed upstairs, his sister yelling at him for bad manners.

It was the slowest boot time in the history of his life, as far as he was concerned. It seemed to drag on for years, the city finally forming around him, and he was running toward the inn where you had met before he even really felt the ground under his feet.

He ran into and around people, apologizing as he went, desperate to get to you before you logged off again. He swung around the corner and caught sight of you outside the inn, your menu already open. He panicked, and called out your name.

You turned to look over your shoulder, but you didn't smile this time. You waved, the motion almost lost as you turned back to your menu. He ran faster, finally catching up to you, and felt his stomach lurch as he saw your hand hovering over the _log out_ button.

He blurted out everything before he could think twice about it, watching as your eyes slowly filled with tears, your eyes still locked, unseeing, on your menu. You stood there, weeping, as he finally finished pouring out his heart, and he awkwardly waited for you to say something, anything, for you to tell him that he was an idiot, or ask what had taken him so long.

He waited for you to log out and never speak to him again, for you to hate him for ruining everything, for you to ask him to never contact you ever again.

He waited for you to laugh, for you to tell him you felt the same, for you to hug him and tell him of course you'd meet him, because nothing could make you happier.

He waited.

He'd wait forever for you.

You laughed, finally, and he thought he might pass out from the wave of relief that washed over him. You told him you felt the same, and he started to cry too. You hugged him and told him you'd love to meet him, and he held you so tight he worried you might really feel the pain. You told him nothing could make you happier, and he felt his heart soar.

He waited, waited for the other shoe to drop, waited for a _but, Kirito_…

None came.

Nothing came but a soft whisper in his ear, and a pair of hands digging into his back as you clung onto him tighter than ever before.

"I love you, Kirito."

_But I'm so far  
>But I'm so far<br>But I'm so far  
>So far from home<br>So far from home..._

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><p><em>I love SAO, and I love Kirito. This just had to happen. And it sorta did "just happen". X)<em>

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><p><em>The song "<em>For You Only" _belongs to: _Trading Yesterday

Sword Art Online and its related characters _belong to_: Reki Kawahara


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